I'm Waiting for Superman
by BlackBear53
Summary: Callen's been dead now for over a year and until a woman calls with a message for Sam they've managed to deal with it. How will the team react when they are told he's still alive?
1. Chapter 1

I'm Waiting for Superman

Chapter 1

The strobe lights flashed and the mirrored ball rotated spreading the strobe light beams even further across the floor as Sadie Keller and I entered Club LA. The music throbbed like a mad heartbeat and the multitudes moved like blood through an artery connected to that heart.

My name is Dolly Gales and Sadie and I work together at the First Bank of Los Angeles. We're not exactly friends but we're two women who needed to get out of our sedentary lives and meet new people and maybe become friends. Sadie moved to Los Angeles over a year ago from Indiana and I moved here six months ago from Prescott, Arizona. I left to leave the boredom behind but it followed me here, therefore a clubbing I shall go. Being here with Sadie is sort of a surprise. She doesn't really dance much but she came to get out of her apartment and to see the sights. Well, we're seeing them.

We made our way through the crowded dance floor to the bar where we purchased bottles of water and then made plans to meet by the front door if we got separated. I made my way back to the dance floor and started to dance by myself and felt myself being pulled in by the throbbing mob on the floor. I'd danced a couple of dances when I spotted a man leaning on the wall with one foot on the wall. It seemed an odd way to wait for someone. He was tallish with brownish hair and dressed nicely in a button down shirt that was untucked and jeans. He wore a scruff of a beard but on him it looked good. I only noticed him because he was a bit older than most of the people in the room, maybe fortyish. He watched the crowd dance like he searched for someone he knew. I noticed he looked in my direction and then with shock I realized he watched me. I knew I didn't know him but his eyes met mine and they captured me in some way that I couldn't explain. The next thing I knew he disappeared and I felt alone all of a sudden and knew that I didn't like it. I still wondered why he looked at me so intensely.

I watched where he'd stood for a moment longer and then acknowledged to myself that he'd probably left for the evening.

Heaving a sigh I turned and began to dance again but nearly ran into the royal blue shirt he wore so nicely. His shirt set off the blues of his eyes and they held me spell-bound just as they had before.

He smiled down into my face and I have to admit I was at a loss as how to react. "What's a sweet girl like you doing in a place like this?" He took a moment before continuing. "You should be in a museum, not here." Sincerity rang in his voice and it really stunned me. I figured that Sadie and I would have to fight off the creeps from the bars so this was a little different.

Little did he know but I've been to most of the museums in the Los Angeles area and found no one to friend. "Excuse me but I also didn't expect to find someone like you here either."

He looked around at the people near us and then chuckled. "Do you mean my age?"

His comment embarrassed me. I hadn't meant his age and while it's true it wasn't what I meant and so I began to stammer. "Oh, no, no, I, I didn't mean your age, just, you." I could feel my face growing warm. Just what did I mean by that statement?

Again he chuckled. "My name is Gary Wisnoski, what's yours?"

My face must have shown my skepticism. "Why should I tell you?"

He looked over my shoulder at the crowd pulsing around us. His voice grew softer. "It would be nice and you know you look cute when you blush."

My embarrassment changed to a small joy. I couldn't keep the smile from my face. "Thank you."

"Let's dance." He grabbed my hand and pulled me further out onto the dance floor. I have to admit that his grabbing of my hand surprised me but with that touch all thoughts of Sadie faded into the mists of my memory. When he turned to face me he wore a quizzical look. "You still haven't told me your name."

"Dolly and before you ask it is not short for Delilah, just plain Dolly Gales." I stood looking up into those blue eyes and I swear I saw them twinkle.

He began to dance and I followed suit. He leaned into me. "Never thought you'd be a Delilah, you remind me of a doll, petite and cute and definitely not plain."

Either he meant those words or he's the best in the world when it comes to delivering lines to women. In my heart of hearts I hoped he meant them.

After the music had stopped we made our way to a quieter section of the club where he purchased two bottles of water. The air in the club was stuffy and we both worked up a sweat dancing. As we returned to the dancers I remembered Sadie. It was my turn to pull him to where I'd left her. A girl who'd been there when we came in handed me a note. It seems Sadie found a friend and left to go to another club. Well I'd found someone to dance with and have a good time. I'd see her Monday morning.

Gary came close, read the note over my shoulder and then whispered in my ear. "Let's go to the beach. I need some quiet."

I'd wanted to go to the beach since I'd arrived from Prescott so I could do without the loud club and its atmosphere. "Sure, let's go."

We dropped our empty bottles in the trash and headed for the door. He seemed to hesitate for a moment, looking around, but once we were outside the door he became more animated. He hurried me to the parking lot.

We climbed into my car as he said a friend dropped him off for the evening and then we left for Venice Beach. He thought I'd enjoy it. Gary explained the wide beach and the boardwalk where the excitement happened. He didn't seem too impressed by the promenade though.

The ride over to the beach took about a half hour and Gary stayed quiet for most of it. He did watch the scenery and every once in the while he looked in the mirror at where we'd been.

When we finally parked the car and walked down to the beach Gary chose to forgo the boardwalk. Quickly and without a word he headed for the dark beach and his quiet got a whole lot deeper. He reached for my hand and I placed it in his. It felt right to me. It felt like two souls who needed this friendship or relationship or whatever it is to grow. I need to admit that the grabbing of hands and closeness seemed pushy at first but I sensed that is who Gary is. He seemed like a people person.

We walked for a distance and while my legs weren't up for a hike I managed to keep up. When he stopped we sat on the sand and just listened to the surf pounding at the water line. I could feel the sea calming him and I wondered what had made him so tense.

The next thing I knew his arm was around me. It felt forced at first but it soon became like second nature, almost like it belonged there.

I snuggled into him. The sea breeze was getting colder and I really hadn't dressed for the night air. My sweater sat on the back seat of my car. After a while his thoughts must have registered my shivering for he pulled me in closer and a few minutes later he pulled me up for the walk back to the car with his arm around me.

He drove me back to my apartment and walked me to my door. The evening had been a little strange and very exciting and I knew that I didn't want it to end so I invited him in: after all the clock hadn't struck midnight yet.

I made hot chocolate for the two of us. We both needed the slight warming it would give us after the time on the beach.

When I came from the kitchen with the drinks he stood by the window watching the street and I think it shook him a little when I reached to hand him his cup.

He took the cup in his hands, holding it up to his face and savoring the smell. "I had a co-worker who drank this all the time. She wore a mild scent of chocolate, possibly from drinking it so much and I really liked that about her." It was his turn to blush. "Thank you."

I watched his face as he spoke about her. I wondered where she was and what exactly she'd meant to him so long ago. There was a sense of sadness and loss when he spoke about her so I needed to ask. "Had a co-worker? What happened to her?"

He looked up at me from wherever his thoughts had taken him. "Nothing happened to her. She married her best friend and I don't work there anymore, that's all." He laughed silently to himself. "As a matter of fact that is what drew me to you. You remind me of her. You're both petite, a little feisty and you both deal with my silences the same way. You let me stew."

These sentences were the most I'd heard him speak for most of the night. He shared part of himself with me and I felt honored. "What's her name, only if you don't mind sharing that with me?"

He smiled my way. "Of course I don't mind sharing that with you. Her name is Nell. She's kind of like a little sister to me. I haven't seen her for a long time and I miss her."

"If you miss her, go see her. I'm sure she'd be glad to see you." I watched as his eyes looked down and he shook his head no. It was a deep sadness like no other I'd ever seen. I moved across to the sofa where he sat and took the mug of hot chocolate from him and placed it on the coffee table. "You miss her, call her, her husband wouldn't mind I'm sure."

His eyes met mine like they did on the dance floor only this time there was something else there. Gary pulled me in for a kiss. I suppose I should have pulled back but I didn't want to.

That one kiss led to another and another and then a night of pure bliss for both of us.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N Just a line of thanks to slaygurl, Petunia3116, countrygirluk56, Mulderette, madhurkumarjain69, Knirberots, Dramamama, RhondaLara and two wonderful guests who reviewed my work and encouraged me to continue this one. Also thank you to all the readers who favorited and followed both the story and me. All of you are appreciated very much.

Chapter 2

Sunlight streaming through my bedroom window woke me from my sweet, sweet dreams. They were of a man with the most amazing blue eyes that had the capability to hold me captive and they did. They also have the ability to drive me to fits of ecstasy. I know it sounds silly but I have to admit it is how I feel around Gary. I'm totally shocked that I fell for him this quickly and this deeply.

Without even opening my eyes his scent drifting across the bed from the pillow he slept on threw me into that dreamlike realm of being with someone for the first time.

Stretching out and finding the bedding all twisted brought back moments of being one with him, feeling his hands on my body and the soft kisses that followed wherever his fingers had just been. The urge to find him and make it happen again was almost urgent in my need. I had to squelch those thoughts for at least a few moments until he came back to bed.

In the distance I could hear the percolator running and scent of coffee as it dripped though the grounds. My eyes popped open as I realized I'd heard no other sounds. There was no one moving in the kitchen. Where was he?

I sprung from my bed and grabbed my robe to go and find him. I glanced around the living room and noticed that the mugs from the hot chocolate the night before were missing. I stormed into the kitchen hoping to find him reading the paper gazing up at me with that precious smile and all I found was the coffee pot working, a clean mug waiting for me, but no Gary. I checked the bathroom and again, no Gary. I felt hurt that he'd leave without a word to me but the hurt quickly turned to anger. I felt used by someone who'd exuded safety and reliability. I knew at that point that I'd been more naïve than I'd ever been before.

I grudgingly poured myself some of that coffee and went back into the bedroom to get myself ready for the day. All I wanted to do was sit and stare out the window but Saturday is my stay home day when I clean my apartment, do laundry and make up my grocery list. None of that appealed to me right now and maybe after my coffee and a hot shower I'd do all that, but that didn't seem likely.

I headed into the shower and just stood under the hot water willing myself not to cry. I'd seen Gary as a charming man, a man who danced with wild abandon alongside me. I'd watched him decompress at the beach while he never uttered a word and once we'd gotten to my apartment I helped him through missing his 'little sister, Nell.' He obviously had deep feelings for her, maybe more than brotherly feelings. I'd held him so close that his leaving felt like a part of me had gone as well.

As I began to wash my body it felt like I was washing him down the drain. His scent, his kisses and all of his touches were being driven down my body and to the drain by the force of the water. I wanted to stop the flow and hold onto him for a few moments more but it wasn't to be. He'd gone down the drain just like he walked out my front door.

The water grew tepid and I turned off the shower and stepped out onto the mat, wiping myself and drying my hair. There was an emptiness that I couldn't shake. I dressed and made my way to the kitchen for more coffee and some toast that my stomach really didn't want.

I meandered into the living room looking for something he might have left behind. Finding nothing I went to the door to go down to pick up mail and the newspaper. There, stuck under a vase on the bookcase by the door, was a small piece of paper. I guess he'd left me something after all. I'd begun to think I'd imagined him.

I picked it up and knew it was a message from him but still didn't want to read it. It would make his leaving all that more painful. I sat down on the sofa in the spot where Gary first kissed me and held the note in my hand. I felt it urging me to open it. Tears began to form again and I pushed them down before I opened the note.

Dear Dolly,

I want you to know that last night was a great deal of fun. I wouldn't have missed it for the world; I just had to leave. I didn't want to wake you so I left coffee waiting for you. I hope it's good. I haven't made coffee in a long time.

I need you to do something for me and it's very important. Please call a man by the name of Sam Hanna at 213-555-1123. Tell him Gary Wisnoski told you to call. Use that name it will make him listen. Tell him to forgive Michelle because she had no choice in the matter. He'll understand what you're telling him. Tell him to find me. He'll know how.

About last night, I will try to get back to you. I can't promise that I can, but I will try. You gave me hope that I can get back to a normal life again. Last night was the first time I truly enjoyed myself in a very long time. Thank you.

Love,

Gary

P.S. Show him this note if you have to.

I went back to get more coffee and throw my uneaten toast away. I returned to the sofa and picked up the note to reread it. Would this man, Sam Hanna, tell me more about Gary? What kind of message is this? Who is Gary anyway? Those were only some of the questions that went through my head. The rest of my head still swam after Gary's leaving.

I pulled out my cell phone and dialed the phone number that Gary had given me.

A deep voice answered. "Hello, Jameson Medical Equipment, how can I help you?"

The authoritative voice gave me pause. "May I speak with Sam Hanna please?"

There was an element of concern when the voice spoke again. "Who gave you this number?"

"A man by the name of Gary Wisnoski asked me to call Sam Hanna and I've done what he asked of me."

A moment of hesitation ensued. "This is Sam Hanna and you'd better have a darn good explanation for this phone call."

I almost hung up the phone but my need to know more about the man that shared the night with me pushed me to get information. "I do. Gary asked me to call. I have no idea why but he asked me to give you two messages."

Sam's voice grew sterner if it was possible. "And they would be what? That you're a liar and not to be trusted."

The morning hadn't gone so well and Mr. Hanna's belligerent attitude was setting me off once more. "Mr. Hanna, I don't know you and you don't know me so maybe we could call off the nasty remarks, please. The only person who matters here is Gary. Can we agree to that?" When I heard a sigh of resignation from the other end of the line I continued. "My name is Dolly Gales. I met Gary last night and when I woke he was gone but he left a note for me. He said to show it to you if you didn't believe me. Please come to my apartment and we can talk."

Sam's voice had changed subtly. I sensed that Gary was a person of importance to him. "Alright, but may I bring someone with me?"

A bit of détente began and I too brought my hackles back down. "Of course you may." I gave him my address and hung up. I had things to do before Sam Hanna and whoever tagged along with him showed up.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N** Many thanks to Amjm, cjanff, gabbz2000, knirbenrots, countrygirluk56, Dramamama5, Claudette miller, FireFlower88, Petunia3116 and the Guests who reviewed also thank you to all who followed and favorite this story.

 **Chapter 3**

Forty-five minutes can be an eternity or can fly by in a blink of an eye. Because I wanted to get them here and talk with them to find out more about Gary it took forever. Because I wanted to put my best foot forward, take the time to formulate what questions I should ask to get the information I needed, it was too short.

Coffee waited for Mr. Hanna and his guest whenever they arrived. I have no idea why I needed to be a hostess but I figured it couldn't hurt to be nice and maybe put a truce flag out to Mr. Hanna.

The bell finally rang and I opened the door to find a mountain of a man waiting there. Beside him was a shorter, petite woman. "I'm Sam Hanna, you called me, and I'd like to introduce Nell Jones."

I could see right away why Gary chose me last night. We both were petite women. She wore her hair long and it was a lovely shade of red. My hair was about the same length but dirty blond. So this was his Nell.

I motioned for them to enter. "Dolly Gales, please come in. Have a seat. May I offer you a cup of coffee?"

Both said yes and helped themselves to the coffee.

When the coffee had been served Mr. Hanna sat back looking mildly uncomfortable with this whole situation but Nell was more eager to proceed. We'd needed those moments to get to know one another over the coffee. Just from the way Mr. Hanna held his body I knew this made him uncomfortable but couldn't understand why.

All of a sudden Sam spoke. "Miss Gales, when you called this morning you used a name of a man who we thought had been missing and honestly presumed dead now for over a year. We found a burnt body and his duffle bag under the Santa Monica Pier thirteen months ago and we thought it was Gary. He was my best friend, my brother. The only reason I'm here is that you used his name." He looked around the room as if he hoped Gary would materialize from somewhere. "Nell and I have a few questions for you."

I nodded in response to his remarks. I could understand how having someone bring back your friend's name from the grave would make you feel. "I'll answer what I can and I hope it helps you, but I have questions as well and first and foremost who is Gary Wisnoski?"

Sam looked past me and out the window and then back to me. "When did you meet Mr. Wisnoski and where?"

Okay, he obviously didn't want to answer my question so I pushed on. "Last night a co-worker and I went to Club LA to dance. While on the dance floor I saw him leaning against the wall and the next thing I knew he was dancing with me."

Sam sat back to think and proceeded to think out loud. "Gary would never go to a dance club." He looked back at me. "What time would that have been?"

I looked from Sam to Nell and between the two of them I couldn't tell what they were thinking. "Around nine-thirty, I think. I'd been dancing for a while when he appeared."

I saw Sam tap his ear. "Eric, see if you can get into the security tapes for Club LA and around the club. G may have been there last night." He spoke to me again. "Did you stay there all night?"

Nell was taking notes and taping the conversation with her phone.

To my mind this looked more like an interrogation than two friends trying to find their buddy. "No, we went to Venice Beach. Gary said he needed some quiet and I hadn't been to any of the beaches since coming to live here so I agreed to go with him. Someone dropped him off at the club."

Sam leaned forward in his seat. "Miss Gales, what kind of car do you drive?"

I sensed concern for a friend but more and I too needed information. "I drive a red Volkswagen Beetle which still has Arizona plates on it. I just moved here six months ago and that was next to be next week's project."

Sam smiled but again he 'spoke' to the invisible Eric. "Eric, check traffic cams to Venice Beach from Club LA. Red Volkswagen Beetle, Arizona plates." His gaze never left mine. "How long did you stay at Venice Beach? Did you go on the boardwalk?"

I shook my head no. "We didn't go on the boardwalk. For some reason Gary didn't even try to go there. We just walked out onto the beach and walked for about twenty minutes. Then we sat and watched and listened to the waves. He seemed to need the quiet. It was almost like a restorative for him."

"Eric, when you're done with the security tapes and traffic cams, check the security tapes of the Venice Beach Boardwalk. G took us there for something. Yeah, I'll get her back soon." You could see his mind spinning with the information I'd given him. "What did you do then?"

I put my mug down on the table and rose from my chair going to the window and looking out. "We came back here. We were chilled and I made hot chocolate for the two of us. He'd become moody and we talked about seeing old friends." I looked at Nell and saw what Gary had seen last night: our similarities.

She nodded at me. She believed me at least. "Miss Gales, what else did he say?"

I smiled at them. "There really wasn't much conversation after that. We went to sleep after that." I know I left the personal parts out but did they really need to know that?

Sam leaned toward me, picking up the coffee pot and pouring a little more into his cup. "On the phone you said that Gary asked you to tell me two things, what were they?"

I took the note out of my pocket and read down to those lines. "One was to 'forgive Michelle because it really wasn't her choice' and the other was, 'find him and that you'd know how'."

Nell gasped and Sam put his cup down on the table. "Yes I do. May I see the letter? I just want to see the writing."

I handed it to him but hesitated before letting it go. It was personal and the last part of him I had. "May I have it back?"

Sam smiled at me nodding the affirmative. He took the letter and read it. I could see the gears turning in his head and questions forming. He just smiled some more. "It's G's handwriting. What do you think he meant by the last paragraph?"

I know what I hoped it meant but instead I shrugged my shoulders in response.

Nell looked down at the table. "Can I help you pick up before I go?"

I wanted to get to know her a little before she left and I'd never see her again. "Sure, I could use a little help."

Sam put the letter down on the table and nodded to Nell. She gave a small nod back to him. "I'll wait in the car." With that he let himself out.

I picked up the pot and three mugs and Nell got the spoons and the sugar bowl and creamer. When we got to the kitchen I turned to her and smiled. "Gary told me a little about you last night. He misses you."

Her breath caught for a second. "I miss him too. He was a mentor and a big brother when I needed one. I wanted him to give me away when I got married, he was supposed to and then we found his body, well what we thought was his body and his duffle. It almost killed all of us. We are that close to one another."

Again my curiosity was roused. "Just who is Gary anyway? I felt like I was being interrogated by Sam. Was I being questioned?"

She sort of giggled and it was a refreshing sound. "Gary's death was extremely hard on him and he swore he'd find who did it and…well you know? I've got to go he's waiting downstairs for me." She turned towards the door. "Oh, before I go can you tell me if this is Gary?" She took out her phone and showed me an older picture of him. It was him though he was thinner and wore his hair in a crew cut. It looked like it was close to five or six years ago. Those gorgeous blue eyes hadn't changed one iota in all this time.

I nodded that it was him and wished I knew what I could ask her to get more information about Gary. They're going to leave and I'd still be left not knowing anything about him. "Wait…will anyone get back to me if you find him?"

Nell wore a confused look on her face. "I'm not really sure how it will go through the ranks but I will ask and if I can, I will let you know. We may have to ask some more questions so we may be back, will that be alright?"

I nodded. "Of course you can return. I just don't know what else I could tell you. He's not exactly the world's greatest talker." I could see why he liked her. She was sweet.

Nell walked to the door and let herself out.

I still didn't know who Gary could be but it's alright. I now know someone else is looking for him and there are people who care for him.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

(Sam and Nell's POV)

Sam made his way down to the lobby and out to his Challenger. He looked up and down the street on the off chance he'd see his partner but Callen didn't seem to be there. In a way it angered Sam because he would have bet his life that G would be there watching over Dolly.

As he sat in the driver's seat doing a slow burn he remembered the last few times G had ridden with him. The banter between him and G was always funny and pointed and for G there always seemed to be a reason for it. Sam came to realize that he missed having those silly, if not irritating, but meaningful, conversations with his partner. Sam had really needed Callen in the last few months. His separation from Michelle and only visiting Kamron after work hurt and he hadn't seen Aiden in months. Aiden wanted his father to be more accepting of what his mother had done, what she had to do but Sam would have nothing to do with that. He left his house and stayed at Callen's house for a month before getting his own place. Now he knew what G meant by moving all the time; you never have anything of your own and for Sam that meant his family, not personal belongings. For Callen that meant no personal ties and Sam needed those ties. Michelle selling them all out to the CIA was betrayal beyond what he could accept of her. Why would she do that to everyone at NCIS and especially to Sabatino? Now G says it wasn't her choice. Well if she'd come to him first there wouldn't have had to be any choice at all and they'd all still be together. Someday soon G would explain this comment. He came back to the here and now and watched Nell as she approached the car. He thought about the young woman and realized he'd lucked out having her as a partner. She'd come a long way in the past year.

Nell slid in next to him. "It's Callen. I showed her a picture of him and she agreed it was him. It sort of shocked her to see him looking so young. I'm also under the impression that something happened between the two of them. Something special happened." Nell knew that Sam was upset about Callen but how she should handle him right now was the question. What would Callen do?

Sam just nodded. "As for something happening between them, yeah, but G wouldn't do that to get her to help him, there must be more to this than using Dolly. I've been on ops with him that he wouldn't do it. He always railed against it because of how he was raised. His foster parents used him for their advantage so, no, she means something to him and I hope that by coming back here with her he didn't put her in danger." Sam became more agitated. He slammed his hands on the steering wheel so hard that Nell jumped. "How did we miss this? I know that G is good at being a ghost but over a year's worth? Why would he do this to us?" An idea seemed to pop into his head. "Did he have help?" Sam paused a moment. "I think Arkady Kolchek will be getting a visit from me soon. He would have helped G if he asked for it. We should also have Eric keep an eye on her place. If she means something to him he'll be back to look out for her."

Nell watched the people walking past the apartment building and knew that Sam's idea agreed with hers. "That's exactly what he'd do. He'd put himself in harm's way for her. Yeah, we need to keep an eye on her."

Sam grunted in agreement both to what his partner would do and why he'd do it. Unfortunately she'd be used as bait but they'd be here to protect her. He laughed out loud as he pulled into traffic. "When we get him back he's going to pay for the last year and for bringing in a civilian."

Nell chuckled as well. She understood Sam's point of view. The mourning for Callen had been painful for her but for Sam it took on a different aspect. He not only lost a partner but his brother.

All of this brought up memories of when Callen and she had spent many evenings discussing books of foreign policy, politics of the United States and many European nations. When Callen met Joelle all of that had come to an abrupt end. Eric filled in where he could but his interests were very different, they were fun, but different. Oh, she'd never been in love with Callen but by the same token, she resented Joelle for taking her friend and mentor from her. Now this was happening and while part of her is ecstatic that he lived, the other is angry at him for all the pain he'd caused them by doing whatever it was that he thought he needed to do.

The ride back to the mission was silent. Both partners were locked in their minds thinking about how to broach the subject at work. They both knew that it would bring about pain and some very hard feelings.

When they arrived Kensi and Deeks sat at their desks working on cold cases throwing their idea of conversation, i.e. innuendo, back and forth.

Deeks looked up from his casework. He wore a crease across his brow but that disappeared and his megawatt smile appeared. "Where were you two this morning?" He threw a chuckle across to Kensi.

Sam sat down at his desk while Nell took what used to be Callen's desk. He sighed and looked down at his huge hands. Telling these two what they'd found this morning would rock their world. "Nell, would you go get Hetty. I only want to say this once."

Deeks and Kensi looked at each other with eyes wide that spoke of many questions. Sam never answered them like that. He always said what needed to be said.

Hetty came into the bullpen followed by Admiral Chedwiggen. He'd taken the shotgun place that Granger held before he'd left. "I hope you don't mind the Admiral being let in on whatever you have?" When no one spoke she continued. "What's going on Mr. Hanna?"

Sam knew of no ideal way to tell them so he just said it. "Callen is alive."

Hetty's face went white and she almost fainted.

The Admiral took her elbow and guided her to Sam's chair which he'd exited for her. Deeks stood next to Kensi and Sam saw his hand take hers. Everyone stood there shocked, disbelieving.

Hetty was the first to speak. "How did you discover this Mr. Hanna?"

Sam blew out his breath. "A young woman called my NCIS cell this morning, asking for me. She said Gary Wisnoski had told her to call me. Nell and I have just returned from seeing her. She ID'ed him from a photo."

Hetty looked like she'd just seen a ghost. "Do we know what he's been doing or even why he'd do this?"

Sam gave a grunt. "He sent a message, 'Forgive Michelle, it wasn't her choice.' I have a feeling it has to do with Sabatino and our moles. I need Kensi and Deeks to go watch over Miss Dolly Gales. Callen used her to get to me but Nell and I feel there is more to it than that. Nell and I think that he's going back there to protect her and there may be more emotions at play between the two of them." He motioned to Deeks and Kensi.

Hetty nodded again. "If we protect her we'll get him back." She nodded again. "So be it. Who do you think he's going after?"

Sam shrugged. "I'm guessing it's Sabatino. He's the only one we haven't caught yet. There may be a bigger fish as well. Time will tell."

Eric came bounding down the stairs. "I've got him at Club LA. Street cams are still running and I haven't gotten into the security cameras at Dolly's apartment complex yet. I need my wife to help."

Sam nodded and Nell went up to OPS with Eric. He turned and gave Kensi and Deeks Dolly's address, told them to keep her safe and be on the lookout for Callen.

Kensi and Deeks grabbed their go bags and hit the road.

Sam walked past his boss and touched her shoulder. In that one touch he realized what this news had done to her.

She grabbed his hand. "Find him Mr. Hanna, find him."

He watched as the Admiral took Hetty back to her office. He'd probably make some tea for his friend and confidante. Sam had never seen Hetty so shaken.

Eric came to the top of the stairs. "I'm in on traffic cams. We found him at Venice Beach. It looks like he intentionally parked Dolly's car right in front of the camera. He knew we'd be looking for him."

Sam bounded up the stairs. He needed to see his partner for himself. When he arrived in OPS he noticed Nell sitting at what used to be her desk going through security video from Dolly's. He saw Dolly leaving for the evening just before nine like she said.

Eric motioned to his screen. There stood Callen waiting for Dolly to come around the car and much to his surprise G looked up at the traffic cam and smirked. Sam just laughed out loud.

Part of Callen's charm was his audacity. It takes a lot of daring do to do what they do. Here he showed just what an excellent operator he is.

Sam looked at his partner and all he could think was how to get him back…alive and that he'd have a lot of 'splaining to do when they did.

He turned his gaze back to Eric. "Do me a favor Eric, run a background check on our young lady Miss Dolly Gales from Arizona."

Nell turned to give him a glaring look.

Sam felt her eyes and in some ways they were more deadly than G's. "We're just checking on her. Remember you can't trust anyone. We've learned that lesson."

Nell saw the hurt in his eyes and she knew he meant Michelle. She nodded as he turned and left OPS.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

This is just a quick note to thank all the readers who've taken the time to review, favorite and follow this story. Without you there wouldn't be a story.

(Callen's POV)

I, in my alias as Gary Wisnoski, left Dolly's apartment a little after six in the morning, right after I set her coffee pot to start perking at eight. I needed time to get away from her place just in case someone had followed us back there. I didn't try to hide from them. I was trying to get them to follow me and I needed them to leave her alone. I realized I'd been a little selfish going to her place but I hadn't wanted the evening with her to end.

I thought back to the year or so that I spent trying to figure out whom else besides Sabatino, Sherov and Ferris were behind the mole situation. It had never seemed finished to me or to Hetty. When I found myself being followed, I picked up my duffle from my house and lead them on a merry chase to Santa Monica. One person followed me but he got away just before I found the burnt body under the pier. I sized it up and realized he and I were of the same size. It became the perfect set up for me to disappear and be able to investigate invisibly. I just hoped that when the autopsy took place the team would know it wasn't me and come looking. It had always been a problem to find them when I was 'alive'. Hetty and I always assumed that there had to be someone above Sabatino giving the orders but just who could that be? I knew that Sabatino, Sherov and Ferris went native in Afghanistan and ran their ops pretty much on their own and I understood that NCIS had undermined their op somehow and Ferris had lost his leg in the process but to operate in the United States and to try to take out an entire Federal Agency took a lot of pull and huge balls. The three of them didn't have that kind of pull or the money to arrange that. They did have the chutzpah for it though. No, someone from above pulled those strings.

The last few months had been full of long hours of searching the CIA files on Sabatino. I realized I needed to thank Eric for all the hours of computer time. He'd found the files and forwarded them to my computer and then I 'died.' There were times when I felt my eyes would bleed from reading through those files but I found a lot of incriminating information against Sabatino, Sherov and Ferris. I needed to find Sabatino in order to bring him down. It appeared that he found some new friends to help him in his quest. There's been at least three other men who've trailed me over the last year and I hoped that Eric found then in the Venice Beach traffic cams. I spent a lot of time there over the last year.

I felt that I was gaining on whoever it was. Eventually Sabatino would need to show his face and I kept hoping he would make it sooner than later.

It took a while but I finally arrived at my house. I needed a shower and some clean clothes. I laughed at the sheer comedy of the first month I'd gone missing. Sam had moved into my almost empty house after he and Michelle broke up and while he went to work I would sneak into my own house to shower, get clothes, clean and replace the dirty ones and Sam hadn't been any the wiser. That would piss him off and I will have a good laugh at his expense, yeah, good times. After Sam moved out it became much easier to move in and out and do what needed to be done like all the computer work. Long ago Sam had found my hidey hole for the computer and since then I'd changed the location. I don't think he ever found the new spot.

I needed a short nap so I took out the sleeping bag that I kept rolled in the closet. I curled up in the corner of the master bedroom. As I lay there I thought about last night with Dolly. Never in my wildest dreams did I think that I'd find someone who I enjoyed spending time with. She likes to dance, chat but she also knows when to keep quiet. Those are qualities that I like in a person. I went into the club to get away from the tail who followed me closely. I'd needed time to find a way to get a message to Sam and using a cell phone wasn't an option. I never knew if they'd managed to tap our phones but I'd put nothing past them. It's hard to regain trust once it's been broached and Sabatino and his buddies had broached it big time. I'd looked around trying to find another way out of the club and there Dolly stood. What made me look at her was her similarity to Nell. When I looked up and saw her dancing alone my heart skipped a beat because I really thought it was Nell and I didn't need to explain why I was still 'alive' to her.

A plan quickly formulated and when I looked up I noticed that she was looking back at me. It wasn't a 'come hither' look, no; it was more just her noticing me and for some reason it felt good to be noticed by her.

It'd never been my style to go to dance clubs and pick up women but some of my aliases had done it for the job. If I had to be honest this started out being a way to get to Sam but it turned into something else the moment I looked into her brilliant green eyes and when I touched her that made my feelings for her even more intense. The noise in the club made my brain fuzzy and I needed the quiet of the night to get myself straight again so I opted to get us out of the club and to the solitude of the beach. It didn't hurt that I could see anyone approaching in the dark and hear them as well. In the club many people would get hurt if the followers tried to take me. On the beach it would only be Dolly and me to protect and that I could do that easily enough.

The quiet thinking at the beach and the moodiness that followed had been an argument with myself on whether I should involve Dolly or not. I thought about it all the time on the beach and more so when we went back to her place. Dolly's temperament, much like Nell's, said yes, she could handle it but how much pain did I want to put her through if I had to go under again. A thought came to me, one I hadn't had in a long time. I felt something more for her than a means to an end and that thought made me smile.

After we'd gone back to Dolly's place I thought that soon, if all things went right, I'd be back with my family and this lonely solo act of mine would be over. While I'd always worked well alone I missed the comraderie of the partnership. I wanted to be with my family badly but I also wanted to be with someone like this luscious woman I'd found. So much of Dolly reminded me of Nell and when she prepared the hot chocolate everything came crashing down around me. My emotions flooded through me like a flash flood and they swept me away taking Dolly as well. While she can be a force to reckon with she also is a supportive lady who just wants to help me so I made the decision to let her help.

Taking her in my arms and kissing her may have not been the wisest thing I'd ever done but it felt the best at that moment. Spending the night in her bed gave me the hope that life would be better once this operation was over.

I closed my eyes and let my senses and whatever memories I had of her take over. I could smell her shampoo and perfume, the laundry detergent that she washed the sheets in and the scent from her skin. I felt the smoothness of her skin to my touch and tasted the chocolate in her kisses again. All of these sensations seemed so vital, so real. I felt what it was like to be with her and it gave me the sense of serenity to fall asleep. Before I dropped off I remembered taking one last look at her before I left her apartment. To me it was like taking a photograph. She lay there with her hair surrounding her face like a halo of the angel that I thought she was and on her face was a look of serene happiness. When she woke that look would be gone and for that I felt deep regret.

Before I fell asleep I took my Sig Sauer from my waistband and put it in my lap. It felt good to be so happy and I wanted it to stay that way but I needed to be alive and safe to make that reality happen.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

After Sam and Nell left Saturday morning I felt neither happy about what happened nor sad about what I didn't learn. It was as if nothing at all had changed in my life. He'd been here and now he wasn't. Did he change my life? Maybe he did and maybe he didn't, but after all of it, I'm still lonely.

Gary had waltzed into my life and left it again in just as short a time leaving me to ponder my naïve behavior and the ease he had in getting me to do what he needed me to do. I felt used and discarded and I took what he'd written in the note 'I'll try to get back to you.' as verbiage to appease me and for him look better. It angered me to be used as an information pipeline. Why couldn't he have just called Sam or Nell? I have to be real and admit that he got me to do what he needed me to do too. He sensed my loneliness and brought me out of it and I think that is what bothered me so much. I'd never have behaved that way before.

Sam's initial reaction to me left me cold and I still don't think he trusted me. He'd left my apartment just as sullen as when he'd entered. Nell, on the other hand, seemed warmer and while I felt both her and Sam's concern for Gary, hers seemed more heartfelt to me. She seemed to really care about Gary as well as caring for me. Maybe she could see what I'd been through and I seriously thought that I could be her friend in another life or time, maybe.

I brought my mug of coffee to the chair by the window that overlooked the street below. As I sipped I perused each and every man's face that walked by in hopes of seeing Gary but to no avail. He just wasn't there.

There's a bag sitting next to my chair holding a colorful afghan that I'm donating to the American Cancer Relay for Life at the end of the month so I reached for it and started working on it. Crocheting didn't hold my interest for long. Before I knew it the urge was gone and the yarn and hook were back in the bag. My attention was again drawn to the street below. While in my head I felt used, my heart still kept hoping to see Gary walking back towards my apartment building.

I moved from one project to the next all day long, not really focusing on any of it. Changing the bed, doing laundry and some cleaning got done but it was slow and jagged. The window acted like a magnet that kept drawing me back to it and the street below.

Sleep kept at a distance that night. I tossed and turned. Even though the bedding had been changed, in my mind the bed smelled like him and I couldn't sleep there. About three in the morning I again slipped into the window seat and ended up sleeping in that chair. Not the most comfortable night but the situation is what it is.

The next morning I woke to driving rain on the window pane. It's unusual for Los Angeles but it does happen occasionally. The weather man said that it would improve as the day went on and I would hold him to it. I sat in that chair willing myself to get up and get moving but the street held me. There were few people out in the rain but still no Gary.

I finally rose from the chair around nine and got myself moving; groceries wouldn't buy themselves and I needed to get out of this apartment and away from my thoughts.

The same coffee pot that Gary set for me yesterday awaited me with fresh brewed coffee. While I drank the coffee, the idea of breakfast repelled me. So I opted for none. I knew that the things I needed to do couldn't wait so I prepared for the day.

After I'd showered and dressed, I found my grocery list and the little cart I use to bring my necessities home and started to Kellen's, the little grocery on the corner. They carried most of what I needed and whatever else I wanted could be bought in another bakery near the bank where I work.

As I walked down the street I spent my time looking at all the faces of the people on the street. Since the rain moved out there were more of my neighbors on the street. Many of them were sitting on the front porches of their homes enjoying the fresh breezes and the bright sunlight. Some actually were getting in their cars and going places or on their way home from their respective churches; it was Sunday after all.

I looked into every man's face looking for Gary and I have to admit I believe I made some of them uncomfortable. Many of them turned their gazes away. I didn't care. While I needed to be out I'd spend the time looking for him.

I must have been so lost in thought that I never heard the shout of a woman behind me. She apparently had been chasing me and shouting for some time.

When I finally heard her and turned I was met with a raven haired woman with the most interesting eyes. They were two different colors. Her beauty was striking. What did she call to me for?

She needed to find a grocery store. Well lucky for her that is where I headed.

I found that she lived just down the street from me at 1024 and she'd just moved in. Her name is Tracy and her boyfriend's name is Jason. They were moving in together next weekend after he comes home from the mixed martial arts tour he currently is fighting in.

We walked into Kellen's and she took a double take. The store is pretty incredible for a mom and pop grocery. The big box stores hadn't moved into our area yet and I have to admit it made most of the neighborhood glad. This is a mom and pop kind of neighborhood.

Tracy and I split up to do our shopping. Every once in a while we'd bump into each other and while my cart had filled up hers hadn't. There were small things in her cart like sandwiches but not the basics that are needed to start a kitchen. I came away with a feeling that she didn't know where to start or, maybe, to even cook.

I headed to the checkout and Tracy pulled in right behind me. Still there was very little in her basket. There were sandwiches, some chips and water. Tracy shrugged her shoulders and told me that she wasn't the cook in their relationship. For the past month while Jason toured she'd eaten take-out and vending machine food at work. When he came home they'd shop for the real stuff.

I felt sort of sorry for her. I know what it felt like moving here but if I'd eaten that way my mother, in Arizona, would have known and my life would have been over. She'd have come from Arizona and dragged me back home. I guessed that Tracy had no one like that in her life.

Instead of thinking less of her I asked if she and Jason would like to come to dinner. She said they'd love to come and when I left her she seemed pleased. I waved as she moved down the street with her small bag and I went up to my home feeling a bit envious of her and Jason's relationship.

If Gary came back would I cook for him?


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Sam rose from his desk and began moving to the staircase. He glanced into Hetty's office on his way by and noticed she'd left. Perhaps the Admiral took her home. Sam had never seen her so visibly shaken. For all practical purposes Callen had become her son, not the son of a CIA agent and a good friend that she couldn't save. She'd watched over him for the past forty-something years, keeping him from danger through most of it. When they lost him a portion of her inimical spark dimmed. Sam had thought that this time her retirement would really happen but once again Leon Vance refused it. Vance knew that her heart really wasn't in it just as he's always known it. No she didn't retire but she did slow down a bit.

Sam climbed the stairs while organizing his thoughts about his former partner. Why did he think he needed to go 'lone wolf?' He had to know the entire team backed him and that's why this made absolutely no sense to any of them.

The doors of the OPS Center opened and Sam stepped in watching as Eric Beale, nose to the grindstone, did his thing. Eric's technical wizardry always amazed Sam and when you mixed Eric and Nell you have the Wizards of Wow, the Wonder Twins or the Dynamic Duo of Computing; whatever you wanted to call them, they do their jobs. He stopped staring and spoke. "Eric, what do we have?"

"Yes Mr. Beale, what do we have?" Hetty stepped through the doors on her tiny cat-like feet.

Sam hadn't heard her coming.

Eric turned with his pad at ready. "We followed Callen from Dolly's apartment to his house."He hesitated a moment before continuing. "Here's the thing…he made sure we followed him home. He looked up at every traffic cam all the way to his house." Eric smiled at Callen's face on the screen. "He went in, stayed for a while and left about an hour ago."

Sam looked at his partner, no, his brother, on the screen. Callen had lost some weight but living on the run would do that to you. He looked good, like when he ran every day and ate well. There seemed to be good muscle tone so G must be taking care of himself. He walks everywhere so he's getting exercise. Just seeing these images made Sam want to hug G in relief that he really isn't dead but at the same time pummel him for putting all of them through hell.

Hetty stood leaning against the center console looking at her son's face.

Sam couldn't read her emotions but knew there were potent ones hidden behind those eyes.

Hetty missed the conversations with Callen and she even missed the insubordination of her senior agent, but only once in a while. Now she had a second chance for all of it again and she looked forward to it. She nodded and moved to the door turning to face them as the doors opened. "Mr. Hanna, you know what to do, bring him home."

Sam smiled at his boss. "Yes Ma'am, with pleasure."

Hetty left for her office. She needed to make a long distance call. The team would need Nate. She knew she sure as hell did.

Sam returned his attention to Eric. "What do we have?"

Eric hit his pad and the evening at Venice Beach appeared. "Just after Callen and Dolly made their way out onto the beach another car pulled up behind Dolly's Volkswagen and parked. A man stepped out and watched as Callen and Dolly walked away."

Sam stopped Eric. "Do we know who he is?"

Eric nodded. "His name is Alexander Benton. He also works for the CIA who ironically has been to Afghanistan, China and Pakistan. Sound familiar? He didn't go out onto the beach but tailed Callen and Dolly on the boardwalk. Not exactly what we'd do but it is the CIA. When Callen started walking back Mr. Benton high-tailed it back to his car and drove away but before he did he made a call."

Sam could give Eric a list of questions but only one held any importance right now. "Who'd he call?"

Eric shrugged his shoulders. "Nell is still working on that. CIA phones are highly encrypted…give us a little longer."

Sam eyeballed the tech wizard. "So Eric, can you find G for me?"

Eric gave the grin that says 'Got Ya!' "Already done."

Sam stood waiting for the answer. When it didn't come quickly he growled. "Today Eric if you please."

Eric's grin got even wider if that was possible. "You aren't going to believe it."

Sam's patience began to further wane. "Eric…."

Eric laughed, touched his pad and Callen's face appeared again on the screen. "He's at the boatshed.

Sam's face showed disbelief but only for a moment. He reached for his phone and hit speed dial. "Deeks, you and Kensi meet me at the boatshed. Callen's there. Nell will go to Dolly's. I'm leaving now."

Sam strode from OPS throwing a "Thank you Eric!" over his shoulder as he went.

Eric returned his gaze to his mentor on the screen. "You're welcome Sam." He hesitated a second. "Please, just bring him home."

Sam ran down the stairs shouting to Nell as he went. "Go to Dolly's…you're on protection detail. Deeks and Kensi are meeting me at the boatshed: G's there."

Nell stared at him in disbelief for just a moment before grabbing her bag, her weapon and heading to her Mini Cooper.

As Sam got into his Challenger his mind wandered to Nell. He knew that Nell had connected to Dolly on some level. Nell had a knack for that and it made her a good partner. She'd come a long way over the past year. Working with him had un-nerved her at first. She'd been used to teaming with Deeks, who, though mild mannered, taught her how to deal physically with the bad guys, most of whom were bigger than her. Sam knew he was more intense with his training, was more about the rules and regulations and how to use them to their best advantage. Nell came to the job using her skills to help their victims and to read the perpetrators. It made their partnership work.

These thoughts led to his former partner. When they get him back what would happen to Nell? Would she go back up to OPS with her husband or would she be partnered up with a new agent? Maybe Hetty would leave him and her as a team and give G a new partner. Those were more in depth thoughts for later. He shook his head to clear those ideas away. They still have to get him back first.

The ride to the boatshed took very little time and when he arrived, Deeks and Kensi awaited him.

Sam got out of his car and eyed the boatshed. Why come here, why not the mission? "We go in with weapons drawn and alert. We don't know why he's doing this or what brought it about. You two take the back door and go in on my count of three. Oh, and let me engage him."

Both agents nodded in agreement and headed for the back door. Kensi, having known Callen longer than Deeks, wondered if G had really turned to the other side. She shook her head because she didn't believe it for a minute. They stopped at the door and waited for Sam's count.

Sam waited for their okay and the reached for the door counting, "One, two, three," and flinging the door open.

Callen stood in the center of the room holding a weapon in each hand facing both doors.

Sam eyed his former partner for any signs of illness, mental or otherwise. No smiles broached his face but his weapon stood ready. "G?"

Callen never moved a muscle except for his mouth. A huge smile graced his handsome face at the thought of being with his family once again. "Sam…really… are you really aiming a weapon at me… really?"

Sam gave his own smirk back. "Same can be said for you too, G."

Callen's smile vanished. "I can't tell who's coming through that door. You knew I was here. Unfortunately, I've also had a few people chasing after me for the last few months." He took a moment to look at his family. "Can we holster our weapons and talk. I don't know about you but I sure could use some coffee."

Sam's reaction came in no time. His Sig Sauer went into his holster and he motioned for Deeks and Kensi to do the same.

Deeks moved to the kitchenette to start the coffee and take two bottles of water from the refrigerator for Kensi and him.

Sam motioned to the sitting area.

Deeks stood at the ready just in case they'd been wrong about Callen.

Sam had spent many months imagining what seeing and speaking with his partner would be like and now that he had the chance he didn't quite know how to handle it.

Callen, in turn, felt close to those same feelings but knew that he had to finish what they'd started eighteen months ago. "I've been trying to find Sabatino. I've been followed here in Los Angeles, to my home, and when I was abroad by two or three other agents. This has been going on for the last six months. There still has been no sign of Sabatino. However, another name has been brought to life, a Declan McMillan. He is the director to the men who've followed me and Sabatino's as well."

"Declan McMillan is a name I remember from several years ago."

All eyes turned to the door. Hetty stood there with her eyes full of her 'son.'

Callen returned her gaze. He rose and went to the diminutive woman and held her in his arms. Both were visibly taken with their emotions.

He led her back to the couch and they sat side by side, almost as if they felt another split might not end as well.

Sam waited several seconds before interrupting their moment. "Who exactly is Declan McMillan?"

Hetty broke her reverie with Callen and turned to Sam. "Mr. McMillan had been on the short list several years ago to replace Leon Vance in San Diego when he moved to the top chair. It's rumored that McMillan didn't take the job going to someone else very well. The job went to Owen Granger and that might explain his stabbing."

Everyone nodded and Deeks brought the coffee pot and cups to the table. Kensi poured and handed the coffee to those who wanted some.

Callen's brow had knitted at the reference to Granger's knifing. "Did McMillan and Granger have issues before Granger was elevated to assistant director?"

Hetty shook her head. "I knew that they'd bumped heads on their way up through the ranks but it was never anything important, to my knowledge at least. Maybe there were things I didn't know. The most egregious thing Owen had ever done to Declan was take the job overseeing the Southwest District of NCIS and the Office of Special Projects."

Sam needed to know more about Declan McMillan. "Tell us about him as an agent. I've never heard of him before. Before Granger came we'd heard of him. What made McMillan think that the job would go to him? Why so angry about it? Was it just his antagonism towards Granger?"

Hetty shrugged her shoulders. "I think that all of that comes into consideration, Mr. Hanna. Declan was angry with the decision from on high and he took it out on Owen from day one. The next we knew he'd resigned his position and signed on with the CIA. We thought that was the end of it. When the 'you know what' hit the fan we had no idea he was behind it. Now we know that and more. I need to get back to the office and talk with Leon and hopefully he can get the Director of the CIA to back his man off. I rather think this may have gone too far for them to do much about McMillan but I have to try." She rose to leave giving Callen one last look. "Dinner with me tonight?"

Callen nodded his agreement. He'd missed the little ninja as Deeks used to call her.


	8. Chapter 8

To all my readers and reviewers many thanks. To those who follow and have favorited both the story and myself, thank you.

This chapter is shorter than I'd like but Nell refused to chat with me, also it is a bit late, forgive me.

BlackBear53

Chapter 8

Nell arrived at Dolly's apartment twenty minutes after Sam sent her. Deeks and Kensi had already left for the boatshed to meet up with Sam. She had called Kensi and she told Nell that her and Deeks were invited to Dolly's for dinner so she should be there. The red Volkswagen sat in its parking spot so Nell made the assumption that Dolly was at home.

Nell rode the elevator to the apartment she'd visited just yesterday. She remembered it as neat and clean. Dolly's furniture had been bought at second-hand shops with little to no mileage on it. Dolly had been a very cautious shopper in those second hand emporiums. Nell never was that lucky. There seemed to be an overall tidiness about Dolly Gales, not just in her apartment. What they'd found about her in her background check confirmed that she had nothing to hide. She's just the country girl from Arizona that she claimed to be. Nell was relieved by that news.

When she faced Dolly's door she knocked and when no one answered she knocked again. Dolly's car was in the parking lot, why didn't she answer? She called out to Dolly. "Dolly? It's Nell. We spoke yesterday morning and you said it would be alright for me to come back and talk with you some more." There was still no answer from Dolly. Nell waited a few minutes more and then took out her lock pick and set to work.

Seconds later she entered the apartment with her Sig Sauer in hand. Dolly's cart stood in the middle of her kitchen and hadn't been unpacked. Nell wondered at that. Nothing had begun to thaw so she hadn't been gone long. After putting on gloves Nell took a few moments to put away the frozen goods and the meat in the refrigerator. She then went through the apartment, room by room, looking for Dolly. She was nowhere to be found. She did find Dolly's purse askew on the living room floor behind the ottoman like it had been tossed there in anger. That didn't seem like Dolly at all.

Nell took out her cell phone and hit speed dial. Kensi answered. "Kensi, Dolly isn't here and her purse was thrown across the living room. Not really her style. I'm going down to check the laundry room but my gut tells me she's not there. I'll call Eric and have him check traffic cams round the building. I have a feeling she didn't leave willingly."

This news sent alarm through Kensi. "Let me know what you find and I'll tell Sam."

Nell hung up and called her husband. "Eric, check all the traffic cams around Dolly's apartment for the last hour. Her groceries hadn't been put away and her purse is still here." Nell had stopped by the laundry room which was empty; No surprise there.

It was a few moments more before Eric spoke her name. "Nell, Sabatino and another agent took Dolly. They are headed for the harbor. I'm following them through the traffic cams and if I had to hazard a guess I'd say the boatshed. Another man waited for him in the car and that man is Alexander Benton. I haven't got a name for the other man yet. I'm still looking. Three armed men are heading for our team. I'm calling Sam."

"Do that and tell him on my way as well." Nell ran to her car and sped out of the parking lot. She needed to get there fast.

As she drove she wondered what really happened between Callen and Dolly. Oh she could guess they made love but why would he use her that way or did he? She'd seen the obvious closeness of looks between herself and Dolly but why involve Dolly this way and put her in danger? Callen would've thought it through wouldn't he? So he must have felt she'd be safe enough and resilient enough to go on if he disappeared again. Hopefully he won't go under again. Why didn't he go back to protect her like Sam and she thought he would. Dolly seemed to be doing pretty well when they spoke with her yesterday, or had she just hid it well? Nell had to be honest with herself, Sam's questions sounded more like an interrogation and in her mind she understood his tone of voice and his underlying feelings about Callen. So much had happened to Sam since his brother had gone undercover like having his wife file for divorce and his children backing away from him. What did Callen and Dolly have in common or did it really matter? She and Eric really had little in common except for Renfaire, video games, their jobs and their superior intelligence. People had always wondered what they saw in each other. What exactly made people fall in love anyways? Those were all questions to be answered later when everyone was safe.

Nell parked her Mini around the corner from the boatshed and out of the line of sight of anyone waiting there. There were two other cars in the parking lot that she didn't recognize. Sam's Challenger and Kensi's Audi were also there. Those two extra cars meant trouble for the team. While no one seemed to be outside she'd still be careful as she approached the building in front of her. Maybe she'd catch someone lurking, maybe even Sabatino.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Kensi reported Nell's call to Sam and Callen. She'd seen what that information had done to Callen as it flickered across his eyes and face but just as quickly as it had shown there he buried it.

Sam saw his partner's reaction as well and knew that this could be touch and go for both Callen and his lady.

"Kensi, Deeks, take the high ground but stay hidden. Make sure the door is covered. Sabatino does not get out of that door. He needs to answer a few questions." Sam's cell phone rang. "What do we got Eric?"

No one heard Eric's half of the conversation but Sam's grim expression said it all.

Sam looked up at Kensi, Deeks and then to his partner. "There are three of them and they're bringing Dolly to us. Make every shot counts but if you have no shot wait for one. We don't want to hurt a civilian." With that remark he looked to G. "Why'd you involve her? Oh…she's cute?"

That got Callen's smirk going. "Yeah and she dances nice too."

Both men separated and moved to the far ends of the boatshed. Sabatino would use the side door when he and his cronies entered.

Eric spoke again. "Sam, Sabatino and his crew just pulled into the parking lot. Nell is also on her way. She's putting in her com unit and she's about three minutes out."

Sam smiled. Nell would be their ace in the hole. "Thanks Eric. Have her stay in the parking lot." He then looked to his partner. "If this starts going south you take Dolly and use the trapdoor. Get her out of here. We'll find you later."

Callen nodded just as the side door opened.

Both agents moved to cover. Kensi and Deeks were already hidden upstairs.

Sabatino didn't buy any of it. He shouted to the seemingly empty room. "Callen, I've brought a friend of yours. She's a very pretty lady and I'd hate to hurt her, so come on out and bring your friends. Let's not play games." His fellow agents stood between him and both Callen's and Sam's weapons. There was no clear shot for them. The fact that Sabatino used Dolly as a shield worried G.

Callen stepped out meeting Sabatino's gaze but more importantly Dolly's. In the meeting of their eyes was the implicit promise to keep her safe and her acceptance of that promise. "Sabatino, nice to see you again. I've been looking for you for quite a while. Thanks for bringing Dolly to me. You can let her go now."

Sabatino just looked at Callen like he'd lost his mind. "Noooo, I don't think so. You need to back off and let us do our jobs. She's the insurance we have to get that done. We've jobs to do and you're keeping us from doing that. For God's sake you've followed us to Asia and back. Stop it!"

Callen smirked.

Sam knew it was a bad sign.

Callen's weapon never dropped but he didn't have a clear shot. His smirk never stopped though. "Taking down an entire Federal Agency like NCIS is a lot of work. You couldn't just take us out? You had to go after everyone including Vance?" He gave a sharp bark of a laugh. "You really pissed him off by the way."

Sabatino looked confused. "Sherov, Ferris and I only came after your team. I don't know about the rest."

Sam came out of hiding. "You stole information through an encrypted phone that piggy backed to the NCIS database. You knew everything there was to know about this agency."

Sabatino still looked confused. "What are you talking about? We only wanted you four. The rest of NCIS was never our concern."

"But it was mine." Another voice boomed from behind Callen.

Callen turned. "Mr. McMillan I presume?"

An older grey haired gentleman strode past Callen. His suit spoke of money and his shoes were expensive. He was well dressed and Hetty would probably call it a polished look. Callen thought snobby and selfish fitted him better. "Yes Mr. Callen, that's my name. May I ask how you know it?"

Callen never wavered. "I've spent many late nights at my computer trying to find out who really sat at the helm of this fiasco and I think I've finally found him. It's so nice of you to join us." Sam watched both men from across the room wondering how this would pan out. McMillan held power within the CIA. How much further up that ladder did this go or did it happen to really just be a job by a man who got overlooked by NCIS and had an axe to grind because of it? This man used Sabatino, Sherov, and Ferris to start his vendetta and later let them take the fall for it.

McMillan walked to the center of the room and the two men who protected Sabatino moved to protect him.

Sabatino looked at those two and quickly understood that he was to be thrown to the wolves. He nodded acceptance of what would come but obviously didn't like it.

Callen and Sam changed positions to protect Dolly and in the process, Sabatino.

Callen eyed McMillan and gave him one of his smirks. "So to what end are you playing now Mr. McMillan? Still angry about Owen Granger getting a job you thought should be yours? Maybe you're pissed that we lowly NCIS agents beat the CIA yet again? Just so that you know, Owen Granger was an asset to all of the Southern California section of NCIS. He didn't have a selfish bone in his body nor was he egotistical or self-absorbed. It never occurred to him to not climb into the trenches with his men and women. Maybe that is why he earned the job of Assistant Director and you didn't. You're going to let these men take the fall or die for your selfishness. Ferris is dead because you played into his need for revenge and Sherov has twenty years in prison for his part in your nonsense. The only ones we didn't get were Sabatino and you. Hey Sabatino, you know he's throwing you under the bus, right?"

Sabatino nodded but moved back into the hallway with Dolly held firmly in place before him.

Callen knew if McMillan wanted him dead, Dolly wouldn't stop him. He thought that McMillan might be a half bubble off center or maybe more.

Callen met Dolly's eyes and moved them to the right and then nodded at Sabatino letting him know they'd protect him and with the same nod gave him permission to go out the way he came in.

Sabatino knew what Callen meant. That was the luxury of working with him before. He'd be let go but Dolly wouldn't go with him. He nodded back to Callen.

Callen moved closer all the while keeping an eye on McMillan.

Deeks and Kensi moved out onto the catwalk while keeping an eye on McMillan's henchmen.

Alexander Benton and his partner circled their boss.

Callen made another move towards Dolly and her captor.

Benton moved to shoot Callen and Kensi shot him in his upper arm.

Callen sprinted down the hallway grabbing Dolly and taking her into the interrogation room towards the trap door. He also nodded to Sabatino to leave. He turned and made his exit through the door that he'd come through.

Callen heard shooting as he dropped with Dolly to the water below. All the while hoping his team would be alright but knew he needed to get Dolly clear of the building. After they fought their way to the surface he grabbed her and kissed her. She never fought him on it so he felt good about it.

They swam to the pier and made their way to Kensi's car. As they drove away he sent a silent prayer to be forgiven for making a mess of her Audi.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Sam bolted across the floor of the boatshed and punched McMillan before he could shoot at Callen and Dolly. The punch knocked the man out and made Sam feel that much better.

Alexander Benton had been shot but was still alive. Sam felt that Kensi had wanted it that way and while the ambulance came for him, his partner put his pistol on the floor and placed both of his hands on his head. Deeks cuffed him while Kensi called for backup.

Nell came in bringing Sabatino at gun point. She'd taken him down and cuffed him as he left the building.

The CIA agent had been totally surprised at her tenacity. He kept looking over his shoulder at her. "How exactly do you train your tech people? She nearly killed me."

Sam, in no mood to laugh, tossed out another mystery for Sabatino. "If you think she's tough you should see her partner. He's one mean shot." Let Sabatino stew on that for a while. Now that he'd been caught Sam needed to ask him a few questions. "Nell, put our 'friend' in Interrogation and keep him company. I'll be in soon."

Sam stayed in the main room with Deeks and Kensi until backup came and the moment it had arrived he went to join Nell. He'd waited too long for this.

Sabatino sat at the table where he'd sat so many times before. Nell stood in the corner where Sam usually waited for Callen to question a witness or criminal. She seemed to be waiting for something but what Sam didn't know and if Nell wanted him to know she'd tell him.

Sam sat across from the CIA agent and glared at him. He waited a minute or two just to see the agent twist. "You've cost me my marriage, you know that right? My wife told you things about us in exchange for what? She's never told me that, so, why'd she do that?"

Sabatino peered into Sam's eyes and saw the anger at being betrayed, the pain that the separation caused and the uncertainty of what life held for him in the future. He'd never wanted to do this but McMillan needed the leverage and more than what he'd gotten in the encrypted emails. He'd not known about how much further McMillan had taken those files but he did now and it had to stop. He nodded, not so much to Sam but to himself and began talking. "Sam…you know how much I respect you and your people. I never meant to hurt you and Michelle…"

Sam's fist hit the table making Nell jump. "You respect me? You respect NCIS? Well you've hurt more than me and Michelle. People have died or are in prison because of this. What exactly did you do to Michelle to make her give you intel on our team?"

Sabatino knew better than lie to Sam anymore. "I told her that there were agents poised to grab Aiden in San Francisco. McMillan knew you were the only one with kids and it might be the easiest way in. I tried to talk him out of it but he pushed and he pushed hard. It surprised me when she didn't go to you for help. She gave us what we needed to take you all down only you guys are good, real good, at what you do."

Sam sat back in his chair eying the CIA agent for a moment and then got up and left.

Sabatino sat stunned. He thought that he'd at least take a pummeling for his involvement. It may still be coming.

Nell gave Sabatino her form of the smirk. "You just dodged a bullet, I hope you know that. Make sure you steer clear of NCIS and Sam for a very long time."

Sabatino nodded and moved towards the door. Nell stopped him with her hand to his chest. There was an automatic wince that with her touch that amused Nell. "Not yet you don't. You still have to answer for all the time we put into the damn mole hunt. Sit back down."

Sam, meanwhile, walked out to the main room of the boatshed.

McMillan sat on the couch, handcuffed, waiting to be transported to the lock up. He would answer for the stabbing of Owen Granger at least. There would also be the undermining of another federal agency. Director Vance would have a field day with him. "Mr. McMillan, why did you need information so badly you felt you needed to involve my children? Don't you know it is unacceptable to involve the safety of anyone's family in this line of work no matter how angry you are?"

McMillan sighed like answering the question somehow was beneath him. "Every time we worked a case, NCIS would get mixed up with it. All you need to do is bring your drunk or stoned sailors and marines home. The CIA is the agency to go overseas and police the world for the United States, not your agency. Stay home and stay out of our business. You killed Isaac Siderov who gave us valuable intelligence on the Middle East. The White Ghost in Afghanistan was our problem to clean up but yet again you stuck your noses in. NCIS interferes in our operations and ruins them. You will stop."

Sam sat down and felt the rage building at the audacity of the man sitting before him. "Who says we'll stop? You? I killed Siderov to keep him from killing my wife, one of your agents. We stopped you from killing a man who refused to do your bidding any longer. That same man happened to be a good friend of my boss, Hetty Lange. He also is a friend of my teammate Kensi Blye. We've stopped you from making some horrible mistakes. You should be thanking us. What's the real reason for your people coming after ours, personal issues? It sure seemed like it. You being overlooked for a job promotion? Or is it envy of the man who got that job? Did you send those men to knife Owen Granger?"

McMillan didn't say a word but his smug grin gave Sam all the answers he needed. Sam wanted to smack the smugness from McMillan's face but he knew that would not be goos and he'd do nothing to endanger the case against McMillan.

Sam turned to the other NCIS agents in the room. "Take them all to lockup." He turned back to McMillan and sneered. "Keep this one separate. Hetty will want to interrogate him." He looked into McMillan's face and sneered. "Hope you're up for it."

After seeing the CIA agents taken out, Sam walked out to his car. He needed to see Callen and get some answers as soon as possible.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Dolly's POV

Hitting the water after the drop from the boatshed numbed me. All my voluntary reactions seemed to shut down and I began to sink. I felt a warm hand grab mine, support my body and pull me to the surface.

Once we came to the surface blue eyes met my green ones and the man behind them put his finger to my lips for quiet. I probably couldn't have spoken anyways for my brain refused to kick in. He reached for me sharing a bit of his body heat before motioning to swim with him.

I followed as best I could. Living in the desert I never learned to swim well so I used a lot of doggy paddling and assistance from Gary or whatever his name is.

When we finally came out of the water he grabbed my hand and together we ran to a blue Audi, he shoved me into the passenger seat, he jumped in and we peeled out. It was odd but I sensed a reluctance on his part to get into the car while wet. He'd shrugged it off and to this day I wonder why he felt that way.

He drove in a silence heavy with unknown. Well the feeling was quite mutual. I had a lot of unknown to deal with because of him. But before I could voice anything to him my gigantic shivers took on a life of their own.

He, since I didn't know what to call him, turned to me like he'd just woke up. "You're freezing. I'll put the heat on." He kept driving. "I hope it helps."

My quaking body only let me nod. That's how cold I was. My gaze moved over the streets surrounding us but my thoughts went back to that night in my apartment and the next morning after he'd left. My anger with him began to warm me and I knew that all my questions would be answered soon. Quietly I began to speak. My voice, like my body, was filled with ice. "Who are you and please don't tell me Gary Wisnoski…that's a lie."

There seemed a moment of embarrassment or something about being caught in a lie. That moment didn't last long and in that moment I saw him weigh everything and make the decision to tell me what I needed to know. He began to speak softly and slowly. "No,…it's not my name, but it is a name that Sam would recognize and believe quickly. I needed him and whoever came with him to believe you. Sam can be so stubborn sometimes." He waited a few seconds more before he continued. "My name is G Callen, and before you ask about G, it is short for Grisha. Someday I'll explain it to you. I answer to both G, or Callen so call me whichever you choose. I haven't acclimated to Grisha yet so I don't answer to it." He looked over at me to see my reaction.

His sudden willingness to speak gave rise to new questions. "Why give me a fake name?" I watched as he chewed the inside of his cheek. More decisions were being made inside that gorgeous head.

He kept his eyes on the road ahead of us. "Thirteen months ago I chose to go deep undercover and find out the truth about something that happened before that. Someone breached our security and for a high level agency that constitutes a big problem. To find out who did it I needed to go under. My name and security clearances made finding them nearly impossible. I needed to be a ghost. I had Eric give me new clearances, a new identity and new passwords into a place I'd hadn't been in a long time, the CIA databases. To do all that Callen needed to die, so when I found a burnt body under the Santa Monica Pier it seems as good a time as any. Eric knew I needed to fake it but for some reason no one came looking for me and I just need to find out why."

I sensed his loss at that point. No one in his 'family' came looking for him. I wondered if this Eric had ever told anyone what Callen had been going to do and why. I again looked out my window. My pain was also real and I needed to deal with it. "Were you ever coming back to me or was I just a one night stand?" I felt my voice crack and tears began to form. I tried to control them but they came anyways. Too much had happened in so little time and it affected me in ways I couldn't explain.

He sighed a deep heavy sigh. "I always intended to but this mess finally came to a head and needed to be finished. It's hung over our heads for too long. I never wanted to involve anyone in what I did but they followed you and me and well… you know." He hesitated. "Dolly, that night with you meant the world to me and it seemed the first step back into my real life, a step back to my family. Thank you for that and about you and I being together? Well that depends on what you want."

What I wanted was to take him to my apartment and keep him safe. I sighed aloud. That's not true, I wanted to take him back there and replay that night.

I might have blushed because Callen began to laugh. "Here's a penny for your thoughts?"

No way was I going to tell him. "Never mind." I suddenly realized we were heading into Englewood. I didn't live anywhere near there. "Hey Callen, this isn't the way to my apartment."

He shook his head negatively. "No, we can't go there. Your apartment is an active crime scene. You were kidnapped… remember? I'm taking you somewhere you'll be safe. You can have a hot shower and dry clothes, maybe not stylish but warm. My boss will be there shortly and we'll eat dinner with her."

I felt disappointment at not being alone with him but I guess he needs to reconnect with them for many reasons and who was I to stand in their way. I smiled at him and he reached for my hand. My hand in his felt good. "So who is your boss and do you really work for her anymore?"

Callen kind of winced at the remark. "It goes a lot deeper that working for her. I owe her a great deal. She literally saved my life when I was fifteen." He took a couple of seconds before continuing. "My life until then had been a succession of foster homes and brushes with the law. It happened just before my sixteenth birthday when she finally stepped in and took me with her. Hetty made me see the better side of life and gave me reasons to stay on the right side of the law. She's the reason I do what I do now. I hadn't seen her in over a year until today. I missed her intensely and when she asked me to dinner I had no idea that you'd be part of today. I hope you don't mind having dinner with Hetty."

What could I say to that? It kind of intrigued me to meet the woman who made this courageous man who he is. "I'm honored to meet her. She lives in Englewood?"

He laughed aloud. "This is one amongst a host of others, because she doesn't stay in one for too long and I'm almost never right about where to find her on any given day. I have to call ahead and see where she might be. She's a mystery wrapped in an enigma and she always has been, or so I've been told."

I could hear the love for this woman in his voice and it endeared him to me all the more. "I can't wait to meet her. Do you think she'll mind me being there?"

He shook his head no and took his hand back. He needed it to turn into the driveway of a beautiful home. He jumped out of the car and came around to open my door. The excitement was so evident in his face. "We're here. Come on: I can't wait to show you just one of the homes I grew up in."


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

The ride to the house didn't take long so we were both still dripping wet. We were shown right to showers by Hetty's housekeeper that Callen hailed as Jacob. He found a sweat suit for me and Callen found clothes in his old room. Jacob showed me to a bathroom of which I've never seen the likes of. Brass fixtures adorned the footed tub and shampoos and other delightful accessories were for me to use. It felt a little decadent but for this one time I felt I could be pampered. I thanked Jacob and he left me to luxuriate in thick rich bubbles up to my neck. I was having so much fun that I lost track of time.

The next think I knew someone knocked at the door. Callen called to me that Hetty was home and would like to meet me. "Are you almost done?"

I surprised me that I'd been in the bath so long. "Give me twenty minutes and then I'll be down."

I heard his laughter outside the door. "I'll tell Hetty. Dinner is in a half hour, don't be late."

I hurried out of the tub, dried my hair, dressed in the sweats and went down to meet his, what do I call her other than his boss? According to what he told me she seemed like so much more.

I found them in what I'd call the living room, sitting by a huge fireplace. Callen rose to greet me with a quick kiss to the forehead.

Hetty watched us with great interest. She rose to meet me and walk me into the dining room. "I hear you've had one hell of a day. I don't stand on formality so feel free to wander about and check out some of the art. Mr. Callen helped find some of it. He's very astute where art is concerned. Once upon a time he used to accompany me to many galleries and museums."

I heard Callen chuckle softly behind us. "Yeah, I became her wingman, not for the art but to find chicks. Now a days, I go for the art, if I go at all."

I turned to see if he was kidding but his face was serious and so was Hetty's. Callen turned into a Renaissance Man right before my eyes.

After dinner the doorbell rang and Jacob showed the rest of Callen's team into the living room. I knew Sam and still was getting cold vibes from him for whatever reasons. Tracy I knew from the grocery trip. Callen introduced her to me as Kensi and she apologized for the deception. She and Deeks were assigned to protect me. Deeks I'd never met before but had seen him at the boatshed.

We sat visiting for a few moments but there was an elephant in that room and we all knew it. I watched Callen and Sam both wait but for what I didn't know. Eventually Callen excused himself and Sam and they left the room.

Kensi came and sat next to me. "So what's up with you and Callen? Sorry to be so blunt but today at the grocery store you seemed lost in some ways. You knew what you wanted there but part of your being was out in space. Does he have something to do with that?"

I looked to Hetty and I didn't really know what to say. I lived with my mom alone for all of my life. Dad had died when I was a baby fighting fires for the National Park System in Northwest Arizona. I'd never really had family like this and I still didn't understand the dynamics of family life. What I saw here boggled my mind. None of these people were related but still they were a cohesive family unit. So I thought about it and came to the understanding that all that Kensi wanted was to make sure Callen would be okay. "I don't really know how to describe Callen and me. I like him, admire him even, but I don't know where this is going. He says he'll go with whatever I want and after today I'm not sure what that is."

Kensi reached out to touch my arm. "That's not a decision that needs to be made today and Callen wouldn't want you to hurry that decision. Is there a real rush for it? You only met, when..Friday? Today is only Sunday. There should be no rush." She let out a small laugh. "Deeks and I have worked together for six years and we've only recently admitted to feelings for each other. If it's meant to happen it will."

Deeks stood across the room looking anxious to go. He moved towards us.

Kensi looked to him and nodded. "Take your time…He will wait for you."

Deeks put his hands on her shoulders. "Thapaisms…he's returned to us?"

At my confused look Kensi smiled. "Thapa was a friend of ours a few years back. He was a brave and terribly wise man who died protecting us. He is truly missed by all of us." She rose to leave with Deeks. "See you soon. Hey is dinner still on?"

I smiled up at her. "Of course it is and maybe Callen will be there."

Hetty came to sit next to me after saying her farewells to Deeks and Kensi. "It's nice that we have a few minutes to get to know each other. Mr. Callen is an extraordinary man, but I think you're learning that."

I gazed into the fireplace that Jacob lit before dinner. "What I know of him so far seems like a wonderful man. I hope to get to know him better."

Hetty gave me an all-knowing smile. "I heard Miss Blye tell you to take your time. That is wise advice. You should take it." She paused to collect her thoughts. "Mr. Callen is a multi-layered man. There's been so much in his life that helped make him who he is. He's protective of his family and that means us. He has no other except his father. He will go to great lengths to keep those that he loves out of danger and that is what precipitated his moves in the last year, his determination to defend those he loves. Please be patient with my son."

And there is was; the connection I needed to understand their relationship. It made everything I felt about him and all these non-related people into a real life family a reality. It made my heart glad to hear receptive language from those he calls family. I just worried about Sam and his reaction to Callen and me. "I intend to be patient as long as he's patient with me."

Hetty put her small hand out to take mine and we sat there in silence until Callen and Sam returned.

Sam came in and said his good-byes. His mood hadn't improved and his grunt to Callen seemed a bit abrupt. The door shut behind Sam and we heard the Challenger peel out of the driveway. I felt Callen wince at that sound from across the room.

Hetty said her good-nights and retired to her study for late night briefings from Washington.

Callen pulled me out of the chair and sat me on the floor in front of the fireplace with his arms around me. It seemed a great way to end the day.


	13. Chapter 13

as a Chapter 13

Callen's POV

Sam sat across the room from me, glaring, waiting for forthcoming information. I knew what he waited for but I was enjoying being with family and Dolly, and I needed time to marinate on what I'd learned while under. Time he thought he didn't need to give me. He needed answers. Well so did I and I didn't have them all. I also didn't feel ready to talk with him about Michelle and why she sold us out. I knew it wouldn't sit well with my partner and would only hurt him more. By the way he sat and the glaring looks he shot my way I knew what was coming and I had the feeling he knew part of it anyways. I knew that Sabatino hadn't gotten too far before being caught by the Nellvorine.

After letting him stew for an appropriate amount of time I excused the two of us and we moved to the sitting room down the hall.

When he sat down I poured each of us two fingers of Hetty's good Scotch and I sat in the other of two buttery soft leather chairs in the study. I gazed around the room with its dark wood walls and books lining the wall. I came here as a teenager to escape the world and bury myself in those books. I'd always loved this room and the sense of manliness that it exuded. I had no idea if Sam felt the same way about it that I did and at the moment I didn't care. I looked to my brother and knew it was time. "What can I do for you Sam?"

Sam snorted his indignation. "You know what I need. Why did McMillan decide to use my family? Why try to take us out? Why send someone we knew and even kind of liked against us?"

I could understand Sam's frustration. For over a year I shared those feelings and while I got some answers I didn't have them all…yet. Maybe we'd get them in the interrogation tomorrow. "Sam, McMillan is an angry, vindictive man. Can't you let it go at that?"

Sam took a sip of his drink. Anger raged across his handsome face like a dark angry thunderstorm. "No G, I can't. No one in this profession should use another agent's family as a bargaining chip and I lost mine to this bastard. My kids won't talk to me and Michelle is in the midst of divorce proceedings that I know I don't want and I really don't think she does either. Then I thought that I lost my brother to the same problem." He took another sip. "You couldn't pick up a phone to let me know you were okay?"

It seemed it was my turn for a little indignation. "Yeah, about that..is your phone tapped. I only ask because mine was before I went under. After we discovered that, I knew what I had to do and Eric knew how I needed to do it and yet none of you came looking for me. Why is that?"

Sam sat up to the edge of his seat. "Eric knew you were going under? Why'd you tell him and not me?"

I sipped at my Scotch and thought about my answer. "Could you get me clearance and passwords to the CIA databases? Could you give me a new identity? No, only Eric and Nell could do that and I swore Eric to secrecy. We didn't tell Nell because I didn't know when I'd be back. I didn't even tell Hetty. That decision hurt a lot. So my question still stands, why didn't you come looking for me?"

Sam's expression went back to his pain. "Hetty had the coroner run all the pertinent tests on the body we found on the beach. The DNA match came back so close. Rose thought it was you and that the burning of the body had changed the DNA just enough to throw us off. Hetty sent samples to Abby Scuito and Dr. Mallard in Washington and it all came back as you, which, from what we know now, doesn't seem possible. Eric was devastated by your loss and now I know why. We were all blown away by your death. I'd never seen Hetty so distraught. She'd just lost Owen Granger and then you. It was a tough time in the office. Nell and Eric's wedding was a month later and she was miserable at your loss. You were supposed to give her away. Director Vance stepped in for you by the way. You owe him big time."

I chuckled for this is my biggest secret. "I know because I was there."

You could see the anger in Sam's face. "You were there and you didn't see any reason to let us know? Why didn't you tell us? You just went on like it didn't matter. Why go lone wolf? Haven't we been through this often enough for you to trust us yet?" Sam looked away from me towards the fireplace. He took another sip from his glass.

I knew how he felt about my going alone. We'd talked about this every time I went what he calls 'lone wolf.' He believes that two is safer but I disagree. I just wanted to keep them all safe and this was how it needed to be. "Sam you couldn't go under with me. You have a wife and kids. Kensi and Deeks are starting a life together and I couldn't ask LAPD for him for this long. It wasn't in their prevue nor was it a running case for them. No, it had to be me. We were accomplishing nothing the way we were. Now I've made McMillan come to us. We have him now."

Sam nodded in agreement. He saw the reasoning as solid. It just didn't match how he feels about family. "I see G but there must have been moments when you could have called or met me somewhere. It doesn't matter, I still don't like it but you're here now." He took another sip of his drink. "Why did McMillan target my family? Do we know that?"

I took another sip. I really didn't want to answer that question. I know Sam already wanted to tear McMillan's head from his shoulders. But I knew he wouldn't let me go until he had the answers he needed. I had no choice but to tell him. "McMillan had ties to the Navy as well. It seems one of his nephews went into Serbia with you and came home in a box. He wasn't stationed with you but apparently didn't matter to McMillan. You were somehow responsible for his death. Hetty will get that from him tomorrow and whatever else there might be."

Sam grunted and rose from his chair placing his empty glass on the tray. "I'm going home. I need to be at that interrogation tomorrow and I'm going to call Michelle and see what we can do about all of this. We've got a lot to talk about before this divorce is final." He looked back at me. "G." He sighed and moved towards me pulling me into a great man hug. "Welcome back and I'm warning you, the next time you do this we, Kensi, Deeks and I, as a group, will kill you. Got it?"

I only laughed because I knew he and they meant it.

He went to say good night to Hetty and I followed along to scoop up Dolly.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

The sun rose over the Los Angeles Bay and began baking the day that still waited. The wind blew the warm air over the city creating a humidity barrier which was uncomfortable to be out in. But this was nothing new to Angelenos.

Nine in the morning found Callen and Sam stepping out of Sam's Challenger in front of the boat shed. They were there to meet Henrietta Lange and observe the interrogation she would deliver to Declan McMillan. Sam was hoping for more information as to why McMillan used Michelle to undermine NCIS and if anyone could get that information it would be his boss.

When they entered they found Hetty sitting at the table with a cup of tea and watching McMillan sitting in interrogation at the table. She was contemplating how to get under his skin.

He showed no signs of remorse, trepidation or even mundane worry. He honestly thought he'd walk away from this mess and that irritated Hetty. She shut the viewer off and continued sipping her tea.

Callen watched Hetty and knew she worried about this one but knew that she didn't care for what he saw on the screen. McMillan didn't care what NCIS had: he was walking. Callen wondered what gave him that air of certainty.

Sam saw it too and wanted to go in and throttle the pompous ass.

Hetty rose from her seat when she finished her tea. "Make another one of those please. I'm afraid I'm going to need it." And with those words she strode into interrogation.

Sam reached over and turned on the recorder and the screen. He wanted to see it go down, more so he needed to see this man squirm under Hetty's questioning.

Callen went to start the tea kettle.

As Hetty closed the door she turned to her prisoner and smiled. 'Good morning Declan. I hope your evening wasn't too uncomfortable." Anyone that listened with half an ear or even knew her a little could tell she really didn't give a damn about his comfort level. Acid laced her voice and she hid it behind the smile she wore.

McMillan faced her and looked at her like a bug to be squashed under his heel. "Good Morning Henrietta." His tone was cold.

Hetty didn't miss the look and it increased her need to bring him down. She perched in the chair across from him watching his gaze.

He watched hers as well. His lack of respect for her was quite evident. "What no coffee for the condemned?" He gave a small chuckle which lacked sincerity.

Hetty gave him one of her icy glares and gave a little laugh. "This isn't brunch at the Los Angeles Hilton, so, no there'll be no coffee for you. My agents get coffee not our prisoners and that is what you are."

The look on his face spoke volumes. He didn't see himself as a prisoner and he just waited for someone to agree with him.

Hetty gave him another glance and began the questioning. "Why send moles into our agency? What did you see as an outcome for the action? How would it benefit you or the CIA?"

McMillan sat back in his chair eying the diminutive woman across from him. "I needed information on this office at first but by bugging that Amazon, Agent Blye, that was sent to Afghanistan, her satellite phone, I got more than I needed to bring down all of NCIS, including Vance." He made a wry face. "He should never have been made director anyways." He laughed at one of his own thoughts and obviously didn't want to share it. "In my beliefs I see the downfall of NCIS which, in my opinion, should never cross the lines to international work. Your job is to police the Navy and the Marines. Bring home your drunks and druggies and leave the world problems to the CIA. You are superfluous, we don't need you or your help." His tone was snide and his stature gave off an air of self-importance."

Hetty kept her poker face but inside she fumed at the pompous attitude of the man before her. She nodded her understanding of his feelings even though she didn't agree with him. "I see you've thought this through. Tell me, is this why you felt that you needed to get rid of Owen Granger?"

McMillan's face clouded over. "Owen and I go back a long way. We never got along and never saw eye to eye on anything. I never thought he had the brains to lead a band of toddlers never mind a group of trained federal agents. I disliked him personally as well. He rubbed me the wrong way. He came up the professional ladder too quickly with no formal training to lead an agency."

Hetty grew more furious as the man spoke. The man watching never saw it show. That is what makes Hetty one of the best interrogators in the business. "I see where you're coming from but I don't happen to agree with you about Owen. His addition to this office gave us a greater ability to do our work. No matter what I think, there was no reason to attack him and for that you will pay. You may not think so but we have all we need to put you away for a long time just for that alone. Why use Agent Hanna's family? I'm sure he'd want to know that."

McMillan face turned red with rage. "He took my nephew Jackson Ralston to Serbia with him years ago and Jackson came home in a box. It's his fault that Jackson died. Jackson would never have gone to Serbia if Hanna hadn't volunteered his unit for the job. My sister still grieves for her son and so does the rest of the family. I'll never forgive him."

Hetty rose from her chair, giving McMillan a smile that most would cringe from. She walked out of interrogation. Her fists clenched and her anger surrounded her like a shroud.

Callen felt her displeasure the moment she came into view. Owen Granger had been a fixture in Hetty's life for as long as he could remember. Every once in a while he'd show up and stay with Hetty for a few days off between jobs that he'd been on. The man had always been curmudgeonly, but Callen learned to respect the man more as he grew to know him and later worked with him. Yes, McMillan would pay for everything he'd done to this agency. Hetty would see to it.

Sam wore a more relaxed look on his face than Hetty had seen in a long time. That gave her hope for the big man. Maybe he now had a chance to get his life back together.

The door to the boatshed swung open and Director Vance stormed in wearing an angry expression and snapped his fingers, motioning to Hetty to follow him into interrogation.

Callen and Sam crossed expressions of confusion. What was going on?

Two minutes later Declan McMillan, wearing his smug look, was escorted for the premises by Director Vance.

Hetty followed at a discreet distance, a look of disdain and distaste on her face. Director Vance left her the job of explaining to her agents why McMillan would be walking away from the punishment they all felt he deserved. She hated it.

Sam's short lived hope and happiness were dashed and quickly replaced with anger and distrust of the political system.

Callen seeing the crash of his friend's emotions spun on his operations manager. "What the hell just happened? We had him dead to rights. Why is that son of a bitch walking?"

Hetty shook her head and watched Sam. "The director of the CIA made a deal with Director Vance to punish Assistant Director McMillan in house. Let's hope that will contain him for a while."

Callen read her disbelief clear as day. She didn't buy this crap for a minute.

Sam's anger came alive like a volcano erupting. "Hope? People died, agencies were disrupted, men went to jail for years and hope is all that we have?" He looked to his partner and shook his head. "My partner's life was put in danger and my marriage is almost over because of that man and," Sam shook his head in disbelief. "that bastard is walking? How can Vance honestly believe they're really going to punish him? The CIA will sweep it under the carpet and in no time it will be forgotten by everyone, but not by me. I sure hope someone has the good sense to move him to D.C. and leave him there." Sam left the boatshed in a rage.

Callen felt Sam's pain as the door slammed behind him. He just hoped Sam would be alright. He'd find him later after he cooled off a bit. He had his own pain. A year of his life had been wasted hunting down this man and it turned out that it was all for some petty grudges. The only upside of today was that he'd been reunited with his family. There didn't seem to be a real reason for what just happened. "Hetty, why did this really happen? I don't buy this 'deal' crap."

Hetty shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know but I will get to the bottom of this. It's just a little too pat for my taste." She picked up her cold tea and took it to the sink to drain the cup and wash it and the saucer. "Mr. Callen, go get Miss Gales and take her home. She needs you now and you need her. Mr. Hanna can wait until tomorrow after he cools off. He won't want any of us around him today or tonight. She finished washing the cup and saucer and placed them in the cabinet for another time. Another thought came to her. "Mr. Callen, we may never know why Director Vance did what he did today, can you live with that?" Her eyes searched her son's for clues of what he felt.

Callen took a few seconds to think about it. "It irritates the shit out of me to think I spent all that time and effort on this and all it came down to was less than twenty-four hours of incarceration and now he's gone." He sipped his coffee and thought on it for a few seconds more and slowly nodded to his boss. "Yeah, I think I can live with it but I'm not so sure about my partner." He got up and washed his cup. When he finished he turned away from Hetty and walked out of the building leaving Hetty pondering his last statement and nodding in agreement with it.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Dolly's POV

I woke feeling refreshed and happy. The bed I slept in felt warm and urged me to stay put for a while longer but I couldn't. I had too much to do. I rose, took my shower and when I came out my own clothes were laying on the bottom of my luxurious bed waiting for me.

After dressing I made my way to the first floor. I remembered Hetty telling me about all the art she'd been so proud of. I'd never seen so many impressive pieces in one collection. I may be wrong but I think she even owns a preview piece of Monet's. I'll have to ask Callen about it.

Jacob found me while I wandered about and asked if I were ready for breakfast. The breakfast buffet waited for me in the dining room. He also told me that Callen would be down shortly.

I headed for the dining room and met Callen just as he arrived. He looked rested and ready for the day. "What is on your agenda for the day?"

He reached out and pulled me in for a quick kiss and a hug that never seemed to end. For a brief moment I didn't think he'd let me go but he did, much to my dismay. "I'm meeting Sam at the boatshed for McMillan's interrogation and then I'll be back to take you to your place. I just got the call from Forensics that we can enter your apartment."

Jacob came through the door carrying a pitcher of fresh squeezed orange juice. I took the time to give him a second look. He wasn't just a butler. There was something about him that said protector, bodyguard or even professional soldier. When he turned away from us I noticed a bulge at the small of his back and I knew he carried a weapon. Not that I saw it but because it made perfect sense. Hetty headed up a federal agency and it only stood to reason that she'd need protection. I wondered about Callen and his team and the more I thought about it the more I knew that they carried all the time. I just wasn't sure how that affected me.

Callen had moved away from me towards the food. I followed and marveled at how good it all looked. All I kept thinking is what kind of resume had Jacob written: good with a gun, good at keeping a home and good at cooking and laundry. I wondered where Hetty found him.

After breakfast Sam came to pick Callen up and they left for the interrogation. I hoped it was what they needed to put McMillan away.

I spent some time perusing Hetty's art collection and then went into her library. I'd never seen so many books in one place outside of the Los Angeles main library. Her home is more a museum than a home.

It seemed like only a short while and then Callen came through the door. His mood hovered like a dark cloud around him and I sensed worry from him. He didn't want to talk so I left him alone.

Jacob already had changed the bed and packed up the sweatsuit and the toiletries I'd opened. He is an amazing man. I gave Callen a few more minutes to do whatever he needed to do. I wondered what happened but didn't want to reopen something painful for him. It and I could wait.

A half-hour later Callen came to my door and let himself in. He sat on the edge of the bed across from me and gazed out the window at Hetty's gardens. He sat that way for a few minutes and I waited for him to open up. "McMillan was released into CIA custody. We won't be prosecuting him. Sam isn't answering his phone and I'm worried." He brought his handsome face back to me and I saw the anguish that the situation caused him but didn't know how to ease it.

Callen smiled a small smile. "Let me take you home. I need to do something good today and it might even be fun."

I picked up what little I had and walked with him to a shiny Mercedes, not new but well kept. "This isn't the car you brought me here in. Where is the Audi?"

He looked across to me as we got in. "No it isn't. That car is owned by Kensi. This one is mine. I'm really glad that Hetty decided to keep it here for me. Jacob told me about it last night after Kensi picked the Audi up. She let him know that she wasn't happy with the damp seats. I'm sure I'll pay for that." He laughed for a bit. "It's going to feel good though. I've missed Kensi and her fetish about her car. It's not that she keeps it clean, because it's not. It's just that it's her car and she tends to be territorial."

We drove down from Englewood to my part of town. It's not the ghetto but it's not fancy either. It's a good, clean neighborhood, with nice people. It's where I can afford to live. While we drove I noticed his mood took another nose dive. Something really bothered him.

We arrived at my apartment building and Callen took my bag from the backseat. He took my hand and led me to the elevator. The door to the cage opened and some of my neighbors exited talking about the police leaving that morning. We chuckled as we entered the now empty elevator. At the third floor the door opened and we exited and came to my door. I didn't have my key so Callen picked the lock to let us in. It felt like I did something illegal but I was assured that since a federal agent did it, it would be alright.

As I looked around the room I noticed that my shopping cart still stood in the middle of the kitchen. My fear at that moment was that all my frozen food would have spoiled. Since there didn't seem to be a smell or a puddle we assumed someone had helped me out and put things in the freezer. Callen assumed it had been Nell and not the LAPD.

I began putting the rest of the groceries away and Callen sat in the living room. His eyes stared off into nowhere and his mood grew darker still. I knew he worried about Sam. When I finished with my chores I went in to sit with him and sensed frustration. He wanted to be here but at the same time he wanted to be there for Sam. "Go find Sam. Make sure he's okay. When you feel better about him come back. I'll make dinner when you return."

He gazed into my eyes and smiled. In that glance I saw the gratitude and maybe a little love too. I'll never know what that glance really meant but at the time it meant the world to me. There was a hug as he rose to leave. "I'm not sure how long this will take so don't hold dinner for me. I promise I will be back though."

I looked back into the blues and nodded. "Just take care of Sam."

He placed a kiss on my forehead and left.

I took some time to straighten up the apartment. I found my purse and all its contents and put that back together. When all that was done I got clothing out for work tomorrow. There'd be no more playing hooky for me.

I went back to my window and picked up the afghan I'd put away so long ago and began working. The work went quickly and before I knew, it was seven o'clock. Dinner needed to be made so while I cooked I made enough for two. I could always have leftovers tomorrow if he didn't eat.

I hoped that he'd been able to find Sam and help him in some small way.

Around eight, just as I finished eating and cleaning up, I heard the scrapping of a pick in my door. Callen walked in and came to the kitchen. "Are you hungry?"

He shook his head no. He seemed to be in better spirits than when he left. "No, Sam and I had sushi. I made him go out and have it with me. We talked and he'd already taken steps to deal with this. He's flying to San Francisco to see his wife and try to get things back on track with her. He booted me out so that he could pack and I could get back here to you. He'll be fine. I left something in the hall. I'll be right back."

He went out and came right back in carrying a lovely bouquet of garden flowers mixed with roses. I found a vase and we arranged them together. All of a sudden the evening took on a strange, ethereal feeling. This was the first time we'd been alone and having no one or anything awaiting us. It felt odd in some way. Conversation made a slow start and I for one didn't think that Callen really wanted to talk.

We both sat on the couch and the silence grew around us. I made a move to get my crocheting but he grabbed my hand, pulling me to him. "You wanted to talk about where our future might go?"

I nodded because it took me by surprise. He always seemed so taciturn. He is, after all, a man of few words, at least as far as I'd seen. "I'd like to give it a try, maybe a few dates, some meals together, maybe even some fun with friends. I don't have many here but the few I do have are nice people. You have your family but my mom is back in Prescott and comes here twice a year. Why am I talking so much?"

Callen reached his other hand to my cheek and caressed it. " You've just said you'd like to continue our relationship, but before you agree to this you have to come to terms with what my job entails." He watched me as I nodded. "I go undercover for months sometimes. Sometimes we get called to work with little to no warning. I get shot at on a daily basis and I've been shot in the line of duty. Some of my friends are like Sabatino; you never know which side they're really on. The members of my team are the only people I trust in my line of work or life. Sam and I finished each other's sentences and Kensi and Deeks work the same way. How do you feel about what I've told you so far?"

So many of my questions had been answered and yet I didn't know if it bothered me or not. His proximity to me made it hard to think. At the time I knew I wanted him in my life. "I'm not sure. Your life is dangerous. I know that but aren't you allowed to have a life outside of work?"

He shook his head. "Not many in my line of work attempt it. Deeks and Kensi are going to try and you've seen the effect on Sam. People like McMillan will use our families against us, like Sabatino did with you. Panic set in when I saw his gun to your side."

This comment actually surprised me. I watched him in the boatshed and I'd never have noticed panic. "You panicked? All I saw was a confident agent doing his job. While all that happened I didn't seem to be a blip on your radar, even when you met my eye. I saw the smooth, non-verbal conversation between you and Sabatino but no panic."

Callen sat back and let out a huff of air. He took a moment to respond. "Panic is something I need to keep under control and the control comes to me automatically now. I can't let the opposition see it or they can use it against me or in some cases, us. Sam can sense it only because he knows me so well. Kensi and Deeks know my triggers so they know how to keep and eye on me and deal with any situation and how I'll present to the McMillans that we run into. You couldn't possibly read my business face. So yes, there was panic buried deep inside my heart. Sam had told me before it started to get you out of the boatshed so that nothing would happen to you, so I did just that. Sorry about the trap door. I didn't know you couldn't swim." He reached over to touch my hair, twirling it in his fingers.

His playing with my hair was enticing me and making my determination to have this conversation wane. I needed to know he'd still be in my life in the morning. Right now I wasn't feeling it. My heart wanted him but my brain said to stop and get the answers I needed so I removed his hand from my hair. His face fell like I'd just crushed his feelings. "What I need from you is reassurance that when I wake in the morning you'll be lying by my side. You have no idea what your note did to me the last time. I felt used and discarded. I'm not accustomed to men coming on like a freight train and then they're gone. There weren't many men in my life but I felt there should have been more than 'Wham, Bam, thank you Ma'am' to it."

His face brightened and a small laugh escaped. "Is that what you think I did? It's not that at all. I do care about you, very much. That's why I'm here tonight and that's why I panicked back in the boatshed. I want a normal life like Sam had and may have again. I want a wife and kids but my need to protect them and myself is too strong to let me take those steps. Hetty says that I let them control me and I should let that someone into my life to be my helpmate, but for some reason I can't let go. My life has always been me, depending on me, to get me through it and I wonder sometimes if even Hetty has broken through those defenses. It took over a year for me to start trusting her and believe me it was a hard sell." He stopped speaking and looked around my apartment and the home I've made for myself. "I own a house, a pretty little bungalow in Venice, but it's not a home. There is nothing of myself there, not like you have here." He made a sweeping motion with his hand. "I don't even know how to do this. I've never had possessions or people to share that house with. I don't know how to let people into my life. There is always a wall between us. With you I hope to change that."

I felt sorry that he had no one in his life to open up to. Here's a man in his forties that has nothing to show for those years. I wanted so badly to be the one to make his life better but how could I get past his need to protect the people in his life. "How can I help you? Should I just take the chance that you'll stay? I just don't want to be hurt again."

He reached out again but this time his hand moved along my cheek and behind my head to pull me to him. He placed a kiss on my lips and pulled back a bit. "I can't promise much except that I feel deeply for you and that I will protect you for as long as I'm able." He moved back in for another kiss. "Please accept that as the best answer I can give you for now. This will be a learning process for me. I want this to work so badly. You've intrigued me since the club and not because you look like Nell. There's a fire about you that lit up my soul that night. The walk on the beach told me I could trust you and I hoped that you learned the same thing too. As for leaving I had to go. I wanted to lead anyone that followed us away from you. Trust me, I wanted to climb right back into that bed with you. I never wanted to leave your side." He kissed me again but this time there was more longing and deepening to it.

I had no choice but to give in to my heart.

We sat on the couch kissing and chatting for a while longer. All of a sudden he picked me up and headed for the bedroom. As we undressed we enjoyed each other's touch and kisses. I don't know what happened since Friday night but his lovemaking had taken on a deeper sense of loving, if that's even possible.

He gave me the feeling that he might stay or maybe it was just my hope.

We spent the night entwined in each other's arms. I slept sporadically and he did too. Several times I woke to small snores coming from him and then he'd wake and start lovemaking all over again.

Six o'clock in the morning came and I needed to get up to go to work. I reached for him but he wasn't there. I smelled coffee brewing and my first reaction felt very familiar. Did he leave again? I almost didn't want to get up to find my answer. I didn't have to. Sitting next to me on the night stand was a note from him. I dreaded opening it but knew that I couldn't put off the inevitable.

Dear Dolly,

I received a call from Hetty at four and needed to go to work. As I dressed I watched your angelic face as you slept and I realize how much you mean to me and again my protection instinct prevailed. I have to leave because I'm not the right man for you.

Find a man who can keep you safe, someone who will never have to live in fear of being the one who put your life in danger or worse, getting you killed.

I know you'll want to talk but it won't change anything so please don't try to get in touch with me.

I want you to be happy and that can't happen with me.

Callen

Well there it was and this time it was so much worse. I had nothing to hang on to. He'd never be returning to me. My heart was so devastated and it's my own fault. I'd spent my whole life waiting for Superman to take me away from the humdrum of my life and I thought maybe I'd found him in Callen. Well I guess he's not the Superman I had needed and if I want to find a Superman I should look to myself.

I called out of work one more day because I couldn't face the world. I pulled the shades and sat on that damn couch in the dark and cried. He said he'd try and I stupidly listened to him. Well damn heart how does this feel? I hated him and I hated myself for being so gullible. I hated the idea of being in love. I hated life.

Later that day, after I'd thought about him and me, I dressed and went to find Hetty's house. When I arrived there were many people going in and out of the house so I rang the bell and a plasterer answered the door. I asked to speak to Hetty and the plasterer said he didn't know any Hetty. He'd been sent to do the work by his boss. Whoever lived here had gone out of the country till the work was finished. I remembered Callen saying she had houses all over the city and wondered which one she'd moved to. It irked me that he'd had her help him in this.

When that didn't pan out I tried the boatshed. I parked and walked up to the door,which was locked. I knocked and a homeless man with snarled filthy dirty blond hair and a grubby coat, who just ambled by, told me that the people who used the building sold it and moved out. How does that happen in so short a time? I thanked him and got back in my car. Tears began to flow. How easy it was for him to just disappear.

I went home and searched for the paper with Sam's number on it. I knew that Sam could talk sense into him if he wanted to. It rang and rang and then a mechanized voice told me that the number was no longer in service and to try information for help.

I guess he meant it when he said to not try to reach him.


	16. Chapter 16

Epilogue

Callen's leaving without warning left me in an awkward place in my life. I knew he existed but he didn't want me to find him and he'd left no place for me to look. Callen and his family had given me no way to find him and in essence no alternative than to give up on him and my dreams of happiness. I needed to survive on my own. I hoped he knew how intensely he drove my need and determination to move on after his leaving.

It was hard but I eventually stopped looking for him in every face on the street after a year or so. Instead, I put everything I had within me into my job and my volunteer work. I decided to learn everything I needed to know about banking so I put my nose to the grindstone to do that. Through my hard work I made assistant bank manager within the year, and in another year, manager, and was transferred to a bank closer to my apartment. I made considerably more money but chose to remain in my meager little apartment, just in case he came back. I think my brain tried to tell me that he wouldn't find me if I moved but I have a feeling he'd have found me if he really wanted to. He just didn't want to and that hurt deeply.

Even though he didn't show up again in my life there always seemed to be a feeling that he was still watching over me. I never saw him but the image of him saving me that one time lived on in my heart and unfortunately, in my brain. I couldn't get it out of my head. I remember a purse snatcher who tried to steal my purse. He almost had it after he knocked me to the ground and struggled a bit for it but to my amazement the next thing he did was pick me up, dust me off, hand me back my purse and all the while looking over my shoulder. He apologized and then he took off running in the opposite direction. I looked back over my shoulder but no one was there. I still have eerie feelings of someone being behind me.

When at the end of the second year a man by the name of Jeremy Walz came into my life. He'd worked at the bank with me for the last two years but we hadn't worked together very often. I have to admit I became a cold woman. I wanted to have nothing to do with any man. Bit by bit he chipped away at my frozen exterior and began to melt my icy heart. He took his time getting me to smile again, making me laugh, asking me out and finally getting me to love him. Four years later when he finally asked me to marry him I didn't hesitate.

We took our time and planned our big day. When it finally arrived my mom walked me down the aisle. My bridesmaids were gorgeous and a cousin, Janine, was my Maid of Honor. Jeremy looked drop dead handsome in his tuxedo as did his groomsmen.

We'd just got to the part of the ceremony where I get to kiss Jeremy. I turn to face him and out of the corner of my eye I see a figure standing in the doorway of the church. He stood at the door of the church in silhouette but I knew it was him; Callen. He waved a small wave good bye and before I could blink he was gone.

I remembered what he said about protecting me as long as I needed it and I just assumed that his days of protecting me were over. Jeremy took over that job and has done a fine job ever since.


End file.
